Demons
by NegaDot
Summary: Kavi, Blythe, Yona, and the twins are back! The guild, Serpent Wing, has a past littered with pain. One of their lost members is alive, but can they save him? See what happens when mages clash with a coven of witches! (OC guild solo fic)
1. Chapter 1

Demons, Part 1

Serpent Wing had finally come back to life. Fifteen members now made up the ranks (seventeen, counting the exceeds). It felt good to be home again. Kavi read silently beside Blythe as he slept. He grinned faintly as he remembered the events of their journey with Fairy Tail. Blythe and Yona had been right. It was the perfect guild to help them. Kavi wondered if the retrieved vial of etherion would actually help Veda. She'd been in seclusion for days, a practice usually reserved for when she shed her skin. Her husband, Puck, was out on one of his many travels. He was not counted among the deaths of the original guild for two reasons - first, he had not been there and second, he did not bare the guild's mark. Now, however, he did. Anything to help those he loved, so he gladly took on the mark of the winged serpent in the early days of rebuilding. He, like his wife, was not of the human race. He was elven. They had met many years ago and he had helped raise Kavi alongside Veda once Gita, the sound dragon, vanished.

Kavi waited and tried not to worry. Veda would contact him when she was ready to be seen once more. She was a wielder of dream magic and often communicated via his dreams. This was she kept track of all of her so called children when they left on missions and Puck, as well. New teams had formed, the first consisting of Kavi, Blythe, Yonaguni, Ronen, and Rani. Team two was made of two girls, Callie and Domino. They arrived together and seemed very close, as if sisters. Team three consisted of two men and a young lady - Van, Yung-Li, and Koko. Van wore an eye patch, but insisted it only made him more interesting to the opposite sex. Koko could not speak and Kavi understood her frustration well, thus making them fast friends. Yung-Li seemed sweet on her, but he maintained a respectful distance. Team four was a mess. Two boys, Grem and Acheron, were like brothers. The girls, Hantu and Ahiru rounded off the team and Acheron did his best to keep the others under control. Lastly, Teresa, the seeress that directed Kavi toward Blythe, remained at the guild, offering advice where possible.

A knock at the door pulled Kavi from his reverie. It was Teresa. She seemed concerned. "Kavi?", she asked, unable to see the face before her. "Is something wrong?", he asked, slipping into the hall. Blythe was sleeping well for once and he didn't want to disturb him least it cause another episode of his sleepwalking. "I've seen something I don't understand. I was hoping you could shed some light on the subject", she stated. They headed downstairs to the common area. Kavi stared into his tea as he listened. She described a strange place, somewhere where nature seemed to warp. Mirrors and reflective pools of water rested beneath ivy and drifting colors. Kavi tensed. He knew this place. It was Puck's sanctuary. "What else did you see?", he asked with caution. "A large crystal, perhaps a pillar at one time...It's broken", she replied, trying to figure out what it meant. "You seem tense. Is everything all right?", she inquired. He took a deep breath, collecting his thoughts. "I will speak to our master about this tomorrow", he stated, not wanting to give any more information.

-

The next morning, Van and Yona were loudly debating who had cheated at their last game. (It was both of them.) Yung-Li and Koko spoke through sign language nearby, seemingly oblivious to their partner's ruckus. Hantu was harassing her team leader (and cousin), Acheron, to do something fun with her. He seemed quite content to polish his bow. He used archery magic and had little reason to "live it up" as his cousin stated. Grem and Ahiru were out of of the building, assumeably on a date, leaving Acheron to some peace and quiet, or so he thought. Domino and Callie had gone out on a job the day before, leaving a little elbow room in the common area.

Kavi stepped outside to smoke, leaving the banter of his comrades behind. He leaned against the building, enjoying the subtle breeze. A pure white falcon flew overhead. He grinned to himself. Puck was home. Not only was Puck elven, but he used the ancient magic of the druids, allowing him to shape shift when the need arose. Kavi made his way behind the guild to greet him. He'd flown straight down the air shaft ahead, skipping the barrier. In no hurry, Kavi took the route he'd lead the fairies down. When he made it to the open area, Veda was happily squeezing her husband. He was home so seldom these days...

Releasing his love, Puck turned to Kavi with a mixed expression. He had yet to share his news with Veda and wasn't sure how either of them would take it. Kavi glanced toward his master. She seemed well enough, perhaps a bit tired. He waited in silence as Puck sighed the way only a barer of bad news does. "Something wrong, my love?", asked Veda, gently touching his arm. It was unusual for him not to tell her right way had something gone wrong. He reached into the pouch on his belt and held out his hand. Several small, blue crystal shards lied in his palm. "He's gone", he said solemnly. Veda tightened her grip on him without though, staring at the tiny fragments with concern. She slowly turned her eyes onto Kavi. He closed his eyes and sighed. "Teresa was right then", he uttered.

He explained the previous night's events. Teresa's description had been spot on. It was indeed Puck's sanctuary, his nexus of the worlds. It was a sacred place, connecting him to other planes of existence when needed. It was where he recharged his natural energies and kept the most precious of possessions. It had housed a massive crystal, containing someone dear to him and now that person was gone. "I looked everywhere. Wherever he went, he didn't want to be followed", sighed Puck. He was taking this hard. But how did he get out?", asked Veda. Puck shook his head, at a loss for words. "It was shattered from the inside", was his only reply. After a moment of collective silence, he turned to Kavi and asked, "Any ideas?". Kavi remained silent. Veda looked between them with concern. "We'll find him", she assured.

-

That evening, Blythe stared at Kavi with sad eyes. He was hiding something again. Kavi tried to ignore the sad puppy face, but it had been hours and was getting to him. "All right", he sighed, giving in. Blythe perked up and scooted closer, listening with rapt attention. "It's Jasper", said Kavi calmly. "Blythe lilted his head, unfamiliar with the name. "...My brother...", trailed Kavi. Blythe beamed excited, "You have a brother?!". His face shined with anticipation for more information. "I know I never told you before now...I'm sorry", said Kavi, trying not to get drawn into the adorable, bright smile before him. "We were raised together...Here, with Veda and Puck", he added. Blythe grinned, glad to learn more about his love. "Why hide it?", he asked, ignorant of the reasons. Kavi's expression darkened, prompting Blythe to drop his smile. "He's the only person to ever be removed from Serpent Wing", replied Kavi, lost in the past. "Removed? You mean kicked out?", inquired Blythe, trying to get the facts straight. "Yes", sighed Kavi, "And he didn't leave on good terms...A few months later, we tracked him down. He was causing havoc, unable to control himself or his magic...Puck sealed him away for the safety of all involved."

Silence drifted through the room. "He's not like you and me", uttered Kavi. Blythe stared curiously. "He isn't human", clarified the dragon slayer. "A naga?!", asked Blythe excitedly. Kavi couldn't help, but grin at his childlike wonder. "No", he said, hiding a chuckle. "He's an incubus. He came home with Puck one day unexpectedly. He said he'd rescued him from a dark coven." With a hint of confusion, Blythe said, "You mean a dark guild?". Kavi shook his head. "No, a coven of witches, not a guild of wizards. That coven practiced only the dark arts. Puck said little at the time, but I found out more from Jasper. He did his best to avoid contact at first. Maybe he thought I would reject him...I'm not really sure...Over the next few months, he started to come around. We grew closer, best friends. In many ways, he was my brother", explained Kavi nostalgically. "Then one day, his past came calling. Something happened...Something deep inside his mind snapped. Veda tried desperately to help him through his dreams, but she had trained him too well. He repelled her presence. His behavior became erratic. Despite all of our efforts, he changed. The only thing Veda managed to see in his mind was the coven. They simply had to be responsible...", he trailed.

"What happened?", inquired Blythe. "He lost he fight", said Kavi, staring into the distance. "He no longer considered himself part of our family. He cursed all of us for not understanding, citing his heritage as the major cause. I reached out as best as I could...It was no use. Half of my scars from our last fight", stated Kavi grimly. Blythe shuddered. Kavi was covered in innumerable scars and half of them had come from someone he cherished. "With a heavy heart, Veda sent him away and took his guild mark, hoping he would realize his mistakes and come home. It didn't work. When Puck and I finally caught up with him, he'd mastered a new secondary type of magic - corrosion. He destroyed everything and everyone in his path like he was desperate to find something. With little choice, I had to defend myself. In the end, Puck encased him in crystal, preserving him until the day we knew how to help", explained the dragon slayer. "And now?", asked Blythe with concern. "Now he's gone, burst from his crystal prison like a cocoon", said Kavi.

Blythe sat and spoke with him until he passed out before making his way to Veda. When he arrived, Veda was sitting in the moonlight, listening to Puck play his lyre. They both glanced up in question. "You're awake this time", teased Veda with a grin. Blythe blushed faintly. He was notorious for sleep walking. "It's about Kavi, isn't it?", ventured Puck, setting his instrument aside. He slid down from rocks with grace and stood before the newly awakened mage. Blythe was fairly short to start with. Next to Puck he felt like a child. The elf stood nearly seven feet tall while Blythe was only a smidge taller than Levy. "He told you about Jasper", observed Puck keenly. Blythe nodded. Finally he asked, "What exactly is an incubus?". He was invited to sit with his master and guild mate. Veda explained, "He's a creature of the fey, like us. Some call them demons and they're the ancient source of nightmares." She tried not giggle at Blythe's 'thinking' face. He was clearly trying to picture what Jasper looked like. "Why don't I try?", offered Puck. Veda nodded and their joined history unfolded.

-

To be continued...


	2. Chapter 2

Demons, part 2

In the past, it had only been a month since he dragons disappeared, leaving Kavi an orphan. Being their friend, Veda brought him home and her husband, Puck, welcomed him with open arms. Kavi was unsure of the elf at first, but had come to respect him. After all, if Veda loved him, he had to be worth at least one chance, right? He'd proven himself kind and wise, an excellent role model. One day, Puck had left on some emergency, giving little information to his loved ones. Kavi was unsure he would come back. Veda assured him such things were normal.

"Don't worry, my dear. Puck is an important man for our people. He travels a lot, but he always comes home with open arms", she said, smiling kindly. She knew Kavi was unnerved and couldn't blame the boy. The only other kind man he'd known was Manach and he missed the old monk. "Where does he go?", he asked with interest. "Everywhere", beamed Veda proudly. Seeing his concern, she explained thus: "He's always detested the title of 'hero', but that's what he is. He finds the last remnants of the fey peoples and takes them to safety. In fact, that's how I met him." Kavi thought this over then inquired, "Fey? You mean fantasy creatures?". Veda nodded. He was close enough. "Who else is out there?", asked the boy with wonder. He'd met a dragon, a naga, and now an elf, but there seemed to be much more to the world than he was led to believe.

Over the next few days, Veda told him tales of many races, mostly recounting her husband's adventures. Kavi had listened with rapt attention, fascinated with it all. Then, one night, he woke up to the sound of pounding hooves. He sat up and wiped his eyes. Several yards away, Veda waited by a torch lit beacon. A massive white stag scampered down the rocks, coming to a halt before her. Kavi stared at this odd creature. It seemed familiar somehow. A faint blue aura glistened around it. It suddenly made sense. That glow was the same hue as Puck's long hair. Kavi crept closer, intrigued by the late night arrival. Something was clinging to the stag's back. As it shape shifted and took on a more human form, the bundle slid, caught with care in Puck's arms. Whatever it was, it was alive.

Veda brushed back a section of blanket, revealing a slumbering face. "Where did you find him?", she whispered, looking over the bundle with worry. "The Harrowmourn Coven", replied Puck in hushed tones. The blanket slipped, showing a young boy with inhuman features. His skin was dark and his features difficult to make out in the midnight gloom. Black hair hung in his face. Without warning, his eyes shot open and two green orbs glowed brightly toward Kavi. With a faint smile, Puck said, "Come on out." Kavi shyly shuffled forward. The boy Puck had returned with now looked at Veda with interest. She offered a kind smile and stretched her hand forward. "Hello. My name is Veda. What's yours?". The boy slowly accepted the gesture after glancing back for assurance from his savior. He got to his feet, standing an inch or two taller than Kavi. His skin was gray in color. Ragged black hair shadowed his glowing eyes, but his finely pointed ears managed to stick out from the tangled locks. "Jasper", said the boy quietly.

The new child looked wearily toward Kavi. "You look human", he uttered shyly. Kavi nodded. "And you?", he ventured, unsure. Puck stood to his full height and explained, "He's an incubus, Kavi, a child of the night. He's going to be staying with us for a while." Veda gently pushed Kavi forward, encouraging him to say 'hello'. He offered his tiny hand and said, "Let's be friends." Jasper took it with caution. He didn't understand what a human was doing with an elf and and naga. It just didn't make sense. "Jasper, this is Kavi, a young dragon slayer and your new roommate", stated Puck. Jasper darted his glance between them. "Why would you want to kill a dragon?", he asked bluntly. Veda tried not to laugh, knowing the loss of Gita still weighed heavily on Kavi, but after some explanations, she tucked both boys back into bed.

Kavi had no trouble eaves dropping. He had the heightened senses of any dragon slayer, but more than that, he could manipulate sound. He watched his new friend sleep as he listened to his adoptive family. Veda and Puck were quietly discussing things in their own chamber. "He'll stay here with us", stated Veda, leaving no room for argument. Puck grinned to himself, knowing she would say that. "We have little choice. The sanctuary won't take him anywhere else fitting. Even Avalon would look down on him", he said. Veda sighed. It was true, but sad. An incubus had little chance of acceptance in most places, let alone a place of light. After a brief silence, she asked, "Why did the coven even have him?". Puck shook his head unsure. He'd only received notice before rushing out to save the boy. Entering such a place without welcome was dangerous, but he would not ignore an innocent's plight. It was true, Jasper was a child of the dark, but he had not chosen such a life. He deserved a better start.

-

It took several weeks for Jasper to open up. He was untrusting of his new family and no one could blame him. He told Puck everything. The coven had taken him a few years earlier, planning to use him to enhance their own dark powers. He had lived peacefully in the woods before then. He couldn't remember his parents. As far as he knew, he'd always been alone. The witches were not particularly kind to him. They saw to his basic needs of survival, but kept him secluded, only interacting when they wanted him for something. Here, however, people seemed to actually care.

He was uneasy the first time Puck left again, but Kavi was there and it was nice to have someone around his age to talk to. It took months before Jasper fully trusted the young dragon slayer, but once his trust was gained, the two were inseparable. It warmed Veda's heart to see them bond so well and when Puck was home, he taught them both many things. He taught them survival skills, history, art, music, and even philosophy. Veda taught them as well. She showed them how to cook, how to play, and the value of family. Being an incubus, Jasper was predisposed to using dream magic, so she taught him that, too. He learned fast and was able to take her lessons to heart about not wielding someone's fear against them when in their dreamscape. On his first foray into the dream world alone, he went to Kavi and discovered many things while there. Kavi only had fleeting glimpses of his presence within his dreams that night. Jasper told him what he had found and Kavi confided the truth of his past.

Over the years, they became brothers. They ate, slept, played, and even got into trouble together as growing boys often do. They had come into their teens without incident. The townspeople had come to accept Jasper's presence. Kavi made sure of that. Puck could easily appear human when he wanted to, but Jasper had no such luxury. People feared at first, but the sheer power of Kavi's will and Puck's ("human") reassurance had eased their minds. Eventually, Veda founded the guild in an effort to grow their circle of friends. Kavi and Jasper talked to travelers, convincing a few to join, while Puck sent others from far way during his travels. Everything seemed so happy. Too bad it wouldn't last.

-

Years passed and the boys were in their late teens now. Everyone in the guild knew them both well, so it was pretty obvious when things started to go wrong. Jasper's warm smile had vanished. He'd previously spoken to everyone on a regular basis, helping ease their troubles, but now he seemed distant, cold. Kavi was worried, but Veda assured him it was likely just a phase. She prayed she was right. She reported the strange changes in her shared dreams with Puck. It seemed to trouble him, as well. One night, Kavi rushed upstairs to the sound of a guild mate screaming. She had suffered a horrid nightmare. Nearby in the shadows, Jasper grinned to himself, a job well done. His blood called out to him. It was too easy. Humans had such simple fears.

The next several days, Kavi watched his brother closely. He'd seen enough. He called Jasper aside to their old secret meeting place. "What's happened to you?", asked the dragon slayer with concern. Jasper stood in the shadow of the trees as if afraid of the sun light, something previously unseen. They played here in the sun countless times as children. "Everyone grows up some time", smirked the incubus. Kavi stare at him with worried eyes. "You're gonna jump me now, too, eh? I figured I could at least rely on you, Kavi", said Jasper coldly. "I'll help you if you let me", stated Kavi calmly. This seemed to irritate his sibling. "Who said I needed your help?", scoffed Jasper. His personality had changed so drastically recently, it was as if he was a totally different person. Jasper crossed his arms and leaned against the tree, holding Kavi's stare. "Maybe I finally figured out who I am", he ventured. "I think you're hiding something", replied Kavi. Jasper shied his gaze, a sure sign Kavi was right. He approached his brother and gently touched his arm. "What's going on? Let me help you", he pleaded. Jasper turned with a sneer and vanished with a wisp of darkness. Kavi sighed. He wasn't getting through.

Jasper was keeping everyone at bay, so Veda decided to take things into her own hands. She crept into Jasper's dreams one night. There were two problems with her plan. First, he was expecting her. Secondly, she'd trained him far too well. In his dreamscape, she reached out toward him, but it was only an illusion. She turned in surprise at his mocking chuckle behind her. "Is this the best you can do, master?", he taunted, clearly mocking her with the title. When she opened her eyes in the real world, Kavi was leaning over her with worry. "Veda...Veda!..Are you all right?", he said, shaking her gently. She sat up in a haze. That was the first time someone had forced her from their mind. Kavi looked closely. She was trembling. "What did you see?", he asked cautiously. "He's not alone in his mind", she panted, getting ahold of herself. "Then it's as we feared", said Puck. He stood nearby, keenly watching Jasper sleep.

"What do you mean?", demanded Kavi. Puck closed his eyes at the harsh tone, but let it drop. "We didn't want to worry you", said Veda softly. Kavi looked her with an expression that needed answers. "Is it the witches?", he inquired. Before Puck could reply, Jasper's eyes glowed fiercely in the night as he smirked toward his family. "My sisters woke me up. You all tried to make me sleep", he said, a hint of derangement in his voice. Kavi rose slowly, taking a step forward. "Jasper, they aren't your family. We are", he stated. Jasper chuckled at his earnesty. "You? Maybe. Them", he said, glaring at Puck and Veda, "They wanted me to be something else. What about you, though, Kavi? Are you truly my brother? Do you still accept me as I am?". Veda looked at her boys with tears in her eyes. Why was this happening? "They have done nothing but love and support you all these years. Are you so blind you can't see that?", said Kavi. Jasper's grin dropped. He felt betrayed by his only ally. "I always knew you would choose them...You're weak. This isn't over.", he spat, fading into the night.

-

To be continued...


	3. Chapter 3

Demons, part 3

Blythe starred at the ceiling, worried for the one who slept beside. He'd learned much from Puck and Veda, but there always two sides to every story. Deep in Kavi's dreams, he stood alone. Glancing at his himself, it was clear he was in the past. A reflective pond nearby showed him to be around twelve years old again. He could hear the sound, he wandered through the shadows cast by the trees overhead. In the distance, he could see Jasper, also young again, hunched over and crying into his hands."Jasper?", he called, cautiously. It seemed his brother couldn't hear him. He walked toward him until they were a mere yard apart. Jasper looked up. His eyes were reddened from the tears, his cheeks were wet. He stared at Kavi with a hurt expression. "Why can't you see it?", he asked, sobbing softly. "See what?", inquired Kavi, trying to prolong their conversation. Without warning, Jasper was gone and the rich laughter of several women filled Kavi's ears.

He sat up like a shot, gasping for air. Was it really a dream or was Jasper reaching out for help? Kavi glanced around, getting his bearings. Blythe dozed beside him peacefully. It seemed he wasn't walking tonight. Taking a deep breath, the dragon slayer went over what he had seen. Surely Veda would know more, right? It would have to wait until morning. Calming himself, Kavi forced his tension to ease. From the corner of his eye, he saw something in his window. A shadow with green, glowing eyes vanished as he set his sights on it. He whispered his brother's name beneath his breath, wishing to know what it all meant. Everything had gone so wrong in the past, but he was determined to make it right again.

-

The following morning, he discussed his dream with Veda. Puck had gone out to look for traces of their lost kin and Blythe was keeping Yona busy so Kavi could concentrate. When their discussion was over, Veda had made a decision. Kavi did as he was told and gathered all of his guild mates to her lair. Callie and Domino had not yet returned, but were due back any day. Everyone else shifted uneasily. Being called together like this was very rare. Veda surveyed her children with care. Were they ready for such a task? Kavi nodded to her to start. His behavior around her alone was calm and familiar, but when others were present, he was strictly business and only showed the greatest respect, likely a tactic to avoid rumors of favoritism.

Veda cleared her throat, prompting the guild to hush their banter. "I'm glad you all came", she said with a kind smile. Everyone nodded and grinned back politely. "Our family is still young, but I have faith in all of you. I hope you all feel the same type of bonds. As you know, your predecessors were all killed by an anti-mage battalion of is mostly true. The only remnants of the old guild were Kavi, Puck, and myself...At least, that's what we told you. The truth is, there is another. He grew unable to control himself and was banished from the guild years ago, but now he's back. It is my belief that he can still be saved. I've asked you all here today to plead for your assistance in this task", explained Veda. Voices muttered. "Who is this person?", inquired Hantu. "My brother", stated Kavi. All eyes turned toward him. Blythe smiled shyly to himself, glad there was still hope.

"Why did you kick him out?", asked Yona bluntly. Veda sighed, "It's complicated, but he wasn't well." Yona stared at her master with curious eyes. "Sooo, he's crazy", she ventured. Kavi glared mildly, but said nothing. "Crazy or not, if he's family, we have to try, right?", added Van. Koko nodded in agreement. One by one, the cry rang out. Veda had their support. As the noise died down, she instructed thus, "Split into teams. Kavi will supply each team with a photo. I want you to look for him. If you find him, return immediately. Do NOT try to engage him. I don't want to see any of you harmed...His behavior is not his fault, but please, take caution."

Everyone grouped off into their respective teams. Kavi spoke next, detailing Jasper's habits. No one was prepared to search for an incubus, but with their master being a naga, no one really questioned it. As each team headed out, Blythe stood beside Veda. "What about Callie and Domino?", he asked. "We'll find them and let them know what's going on", said Kavi, responding in their master's place. Yona squinted at the photo. "He doesn't look very scary to me", she snorted. "Did you grow up with soul sucking demons?", teased Blythe. Yona looked at him blankly. "Your point?", she inquired, completely missing (or choosing to ignore) his sarcasm. "We'll cover more ground if we split up. Blythe, go with Yona. Don't let her run off on her own again", said Kavi. Blythe nodded and replied, "And you?". Kavi offered a reassuring grin. "I'll be fine. I know Jasper better than anyone. Just be careful."

-

Outside the guild, the town bustled as usual, oblivious to their visitor. Puck searched high and low, from the coast to the forest, to the mountains. Van over-dramatically looked for clues. His 'Sherlock' act wasn't impressing anyone. He scrutinized a nearby bench. "Aha! Someone was sitting here not two hours ago!", he cried. Koko shook her head. "There's someone sitting there now", said Yung-Li. Van ignored his team mate and stroked his mustache as if thinking. "I'll bet he ate, too. Look! Abandoned wrappers! Only a fiend would liter so!" The person who had been on the bench was not walking away as quickly as possible. Bringing Van back to reality, Koko flicked his ear. He looked at her with a mix of pain and anger. "What was that for?!", he cried. She pointed to the clock tower across town. "We would get a much better view from there", ventured Yung-Li. Oozing confidence as usual, Van said "Yes, a perfect vantage point. I knew my detective skills would yield something quickly." He started off toward the tower without waiting. Koko sent a funny look to her remaining partner. "He's always been like this", sighed Yung-Li. Shrugging it off, Koko dragged him along to catch up.

Elsewhere, Ahiru stood in silent concentration. She was scanning for ambient traces of unusual fear responses. Acheron had filled them in on what an incubus was, so it only made sense. Hantu whined in the background about being bored while Grem made faces directly in front of his girlfriend. "Stop it", said Ahiru, trying to concentrate. "I'm not doing anything", replied Grem innocently. Acheron sighed. Why were his friends such a handful?

-

At the edge of town, Domino and Callie were heading home from their contract. "You were amazing", beamed Domino. "You did the hard part", said Callie, playing it off. Domino always looked up to her and overrated everything she did. Neither of them noticed the strange presence watching from the shadows. Their guild marks could not be seen, but they smelled of magic. It only made sense that were heading to the only guild in the city. A huge lizard sat sunning itself on the sidewalk. Callie froze in her tracks. It took a moment for her adoptive sibling to see what the problem was. "Just go around it. They don't have teeth, you know", she offered. Callie gave the creature a wide berth, walking into the street. Luckily, no traffic was present. Continuing their trek, they stumbled into another reptile. Callie grabbed her sister's hand dragged her into a nearby alley. "Just go around", she repeated over and over. Domino glanced at the obviously smaller space, but said nothing. If it was for Callie, she would do anything. A few minutes later, they hit a dead end.

"We just got a little side tracked, no big deal", uttered Callie, pondering where they had made a wrong turn. Pivoting to leave, the alley was gone. The two stood inside a concrete box. "I don't like this", said Domino, trying not to panic. The walls shifted, making their space even smaller. "Whoever's out there, stop messing with us! It isn't funny!", yelled Callie. The illusion faded, leaving the two huddled together for no apparent reason. Callie took a deep breath. "If that was Koko - ", she started, unaware of the third person. Domino stared in fascinated horror. "What?", said Callie, looking across her shoulder. She tripped backward in surprise. A man with gray skin, pointed ears, and a dark trench coat smiled tauntingly toward them. He clearly had fangs and even in daylight, his green eyes seemed to glow. "Who are you?", she said, dusting herself off. He offered a hand to help her in silence. Once she was on her feet, he didn't let go. She glanced at their hands and back his face, unsure what he wanted.

"Serpent Wing", he stated, matter-of-factly. Callie blinked in moderate confusion, but slowly nodded. He leaned into her and sniffed her hair. "You smell like the snake", he said. She pushed him back with a firm hand. "What do you want?", she demanded, standing in front of Domino defensively. The man seemed to chuckle in amusement. "Ah, the smell of fresh fear", he sighed. Before anyone else could speak, he's grabbed Callie by the wrist and held on tight. "Tell your master her son's come home to roost and he wants what is due", he said. She wriggled, trying to get free, but it was no use. Staring him dead in the eye, she sprouted a series of thorns that piercing his flesh. He looked at the trickling blood as if not registering the pain. "How interesting", was all he said. Then, a hissing sound started to emanate. Callie cried out in pain. Her thorns were melting. Domino called out to her in panic.

A sudden "BOOM!" rang out, knocking the two in opposite directions. Squinting into the sun above, Domino was barely able to make out the familiar silhouette. Kavi landed gracefully in front of the girls with his hand out as if to say, "Stay back." The strange man got up and laughed. "If it isn't little Kavi-kun all grown up", he taunted. "Jasper, what are you doing here?", he replied almost coldly. "Just greeting your new friends. I heard about the guild. You're the type that can't stand being alone. It only makes sense that your dear auntie would save you again", he said calmly. Yona and Blythe ran from around the corner. "What'd we miss?!", yelled Yona, keen to get in the action. Blythe helped the girls to their feet, getting a stiff shove from Domino despite her pink cheeks. She was always haughty with him. "We'll meet again", said Jasper, his eyes fixing solely on Yona. A wisp of black and he was gone.

"Was that him?", inquired Yona. Kavi nodded before asking the girls if there were unharmed. Blythe accompanied them the rest of the way home. Yona scratched her ear and teased, "Loud enough?". Her team mate seemed to ignore her. He stared at the spot where Jasper had stood. "Something wrong sunshine?", she added, leaning onto his shoulder. "That wasn't Jasper", he said solemnly. "You just said it was!", snapped Yona. Kavi sighed, "It was his body, but not his mind." Completely confused, Yona didn't even know where to start. Ronen drifted down from above. "Should I report this to Veda?", asked the exceed. "I'll do it", said Kavi, striding passed him. Ronen nodded and turned to his flabbergasted partner. "Yona-chan, we should keep looking", he said. "Yeah, yeah", she snorted, annoyed.

-

To be continued...


	4. Chapter 4

Demons, part 4

Beneath the city laid a massive cave system. Jasper could be anywhere. In the sunlit cavern Veda called home, grim faces stifled the usually free atmosphere. "I was afraid of this", sighed Puck. Veda held his hand in silence, her eyes cast to the sand. What Kavi had reported was troublesome. Had it really been the coven controlling his brother this entire time? "It has to be. He doesn't know illusion magic", stated Veda. She looked to her husband with pleading eyes wanting to know how they could be sure and if so, how their adopted son could be saved. Jasper's encounter with Callie and Domino proved a few things. First, he really had escaped. Second, he was targeting guild members. Third, he exhibited knowledge of other magics.

-

The rest of the day proved uneventful. No one had found anything of interest in their searches. When evening struck, Kavi stared out of his window with hollow eyes, lost in his thoughts. Blythe watched the dragon slayer with worry. He seemed to be somewhere else entirely. Even his cigarette hung loosely on his lips. Small amounts of spent ash drifted downward with each breath. Unsure of what else he could do, Blythe simply stayed nearby, ready to help in any way needed. He clinged tightly his lover when it was time for bed. Even then, when Kavi was usually relaxed, he laid stiffly and seemingly oblivious to his surrounds.

His dreams were chaotic. It was hard to tell which were simply illusions of the night and which were cries for help. Several memories permeated his dream scape. Faces from the old guild filled the halls. Old friends laughed alongside his brother. What did it all mean? "My sisters woke me", echoed through his mind. Jasper would never call the coven family. They had treated him as a prisoner, an object, not a person or valued member. Even if he was being controlled, they first needed tangible proof before starting up another skirmish. The covens had separated from the guilds early in history and an uneasy peace kept them from killing each other. If proof could be found, the guild would still have to take matters into their own hands. The magic council had nothing to do with the covens. Speaking about them was more taboo than dark guilds.

A new dream surfaced. An image of Jasper appeared, ethereal and far way. No matter how long Kavi ran, he never got any closer. He could hear his brother call out to him and their adoptive parents. He looked awful. His usually bright eyes were dim, his face was drawn, and he wore tattered rags. Kavi had seen his brother's body. It was in tact and well enough, but that says nothing for who hid behind that face. Was this shimmering mirage the true Jasper's soul? If so, just where was he?

-

Three days passed with only brief glimpses of the incubus during the night. Puck had gone out to investigate and everyone eagerly awaited the news. When he returned, his clothes were singed in various places though no wounds covered his body. Veda tended to him with great concern. If the coven could do this much from a distance, how would anyone possibly make it inside? If it were anyone else, they would not have come back at all. Puck's great age and experience gave him an edge. His reflexes were nearly flawless. The hurried sound of footsteps could be heard clamoring from toward the guild. Someone was coming down and fast. Hantu slid to a halt in the sand, Acheron close behind her. "Found him", she panted. Her cousin nodded in agreement.

-

It was time for action. The stage was set. Everyone would work together to trap Jasper. His reactions would tell exactly whose mind was inside. Kavi was clearly on edge as he waited from his shadowed perch. Blythe stayed close with concern while Ronen and Rani kept watch over the trap area from above. Below in the streets, Ahiru and Teresa stood in the alley, seemingly a perfect mark for a trouble causing monster that fed on fear. It didn't take long for the things to set in motion. Ahiru stood nervously as the tell tale sound of buzzing approached. She held her guild mate's hand and waited for the worst. Nearby, the rest of her team laid in wait. A massive swarm of wasps descended on the girls. Ahiru fell to her knees and covered her ears with clenched eyes. A clasped hand from Acheron kept Grem from interfering. Teresa remained firm. "It's not real", she said calmly.

As quickly as the insects had come, they were gone. Shaking off a mild tremble, Ahiru got to her feet. The ground below the girls' fits started to morph. It turned from solid stone to mud to water. They floated at the surface of the sea that now contained them. The entire city fell away. They seemed to be in the center of nowhere. Teresa kept her head above water, but her expression was clearly distraught. Ahiru helped as best as she could to keep them both afloat. Then, they fell. Landing hard on the pavement, they slowly got to their feet. The shadows of the alley started to take form. A pair of glowing green eyes stared at them like a predator stalking its prey. Jasper stepped into the light.

"Fancy meeting you here, ladies", he smirked. Teresa's empty eyes fell over him as if peering into his soul. "Who are you?", she asked without fear. "My name doesn't matter", he replied, inhaling deeply. "Ah, the smell of fresh panic", he sighed with satisfaction. "You won't like the taste of your own", said Hantu, landing gracefully on the pavement behind him from above. One by one, the guild members surround him. Mildly alarmed at first, Jasper started laughing maniacally. "What can you lot possibly do?", he taunted. The stones behind him softened and a pair of arms reached up, clasping his ankles. A swift tug and he was swallowed by the stone.

The only team that didn't participate in this was team one - Kavi's team. They stood in the sewer below the street, now looking over the struggling incubus. Puck held him firmly, refusing to let go. The disappearing into a wisp trick wouldn't work with the elf's magic also holding on tightly. Veda slithered forward and looked into Jasper's face with tears in her eyes. Gently stroking his cheek, she offered a kind smile. "It is you", she uttered softly. He paused his wiggling to look her in the face. His expression was angry and cold. "What do you, you filthy reptile?!", he snapped. Veda shrank back, her heart broken. "That's no way to speak your mother", seethed Puck. With a swift series of acupressure hits, Jasper fell limp and unconscious. Puck lowered him to the ground carefully.

Kavi stepped forward and looked over the fallen incubus. "You really are gone, aren't you?", he sighed. Though Puck wanted to tend to his crying wife, he couldn't leave Jasper's side, so he left Blythe as her shoulder to cry on. Yona watched from a short distance. All these emotions were too much for her. Puck and Kavi gathered the limp body and headed home. Blythe and Veda followed close behind. It was Yona's job to notify the others of their success. Everyone was glad for the news, though it seemed a hollow victory. Jasper was finally home...or was he?

-

In Veda's sanctuary, she held her son in her coils, staring sadly into his sleeping face. "You know he didn't mean it", said Puck, kissing her cheek softly. She nodded. It wasn't Jasper's fault he said such a mean thing. She worried for his safety. "Where are you?", she whispered, holding him close. Yona stood nearby, though highly uncomfortable. She watched the incubus with interest. If this wasn't his personality, whose was it? And what was he really like? Rani sat beside Veda and looked over the reunited family with soft eyes. Attempting to lighten the mood, she belted out a light tune in her angelic voice. It did little to sway the atmosphere.

Nearby, Puck, Blythe, and Kavi were making plans. Teresa was present, as well. During their brief encounter, she had a vision of Jasper. She saw him confined somewhere small, but was unsure of the location. Her description matched the disheveled form in Kavi's dreams. Jasper really was calling out for help. Kavi's heart weighed heavily. His guilt was eating him alive. How could he have been so blind before? The only thing that affirmed Jasper's identity in the past was all of the personal knowledge he held, but now, that didn't seem to to even count as evidence. Someone else had accessed those memories and used them to manipulate Veda and the guild in their favor.

Puck's face was grim as he thought. Even more troubling than Kavi's dreams and Teresa's vision was something nearly unbelievable. Jasper had two distinct heartbeats. Someone or something was inside his body, stifling his own will. "Could be some kind of parasite?", offered Blythe, looking for answers. Kavi shook his head. It was unlikely. Looking to his stepfather, he waited for a response. After a drawn silence, Puck sighed, "It has to be them." Teresa set a hand on her guild mate as the dragon slayer tensed at the news. "How is this even possible?", he asked, not really expecting an answer. "Why would anyone go through so much trouble in the first place?", inquired Ronen. Finally, Puck looked up to meet the eager faces around him. "Revenge", he stated.

Yona had wandered over and listened with care. "Revenge for what?", she asked. "The coven's previous matriarch fell at my hands", stated Puck grimly. "Why?", blurted Blythe, without thinking. "One does what one has to...They were after Veda. Some occult practice involving exchanging souls. I had little time to gather information then", he explained. Kavi nodded. He remembered the tale. "And when they couldn't have her, they were going to use Jasper?", inquired Blythe, putting it together. Puck nodded. It was all starting to make sense. He explained while those around listened intently.

-

Many years ago, Harrowmourn Coven was waning in power. Their matriarch, the old witch, Aldegund was far from her prime. In her dark magic and ancient tomes, she found a way that would keep her alive and well. She needed a monster, someone of the fey races, to take her place. The spell she had found spoke of a forbidden magic, a way to manipulate the threads of fate itself. The spell was powerful, but also very complex. Any number of things could go wrong. Thus, she ordered all of her sisters to study the same spell, so they might stand a chance at success. Through scrying, they found a naga, Veda, in the vicinity. It seemed an elf was also nearby, but Aldegund had no interest in a male host. The coven was all about being sisters. No men were allowed to enter.

Several attempts were made at capturing Veda or trying to control her, but it was of no use. She had been in her skin far too long and wasn't going anywhere. Forcing the transition was dangerous, but it was their last hope. They finally took her in while Puck was away and tried several painful spells to sedate her will. She cried out to her love with her dream magic and he came on swift wings. Aldegund was knocked into a coma while the rest of the coven scattered in fear. Little of their home remained in tact when the duo finally left.

Years later, Aldegund's closest disciple wanted to try again. No one could lead them as well, she told her sisters. So, the search began anew. This time, though, they sought a child, someone whose soul wasn't as tightly bound. In time, they discovered such a child in the forest. The only problem was the child was male. The coven argued for weeks, but it was finally decided. Any cost was acceptable. Besides, who would possibly miss a lost little incubus? His parents were long dead. They took Jasper from his forest home at first promising help and live, then by force when he refused to leave. He'd sensed something dark within the women and his gut feeling was right.

He spent months in a dungeon cell inside the coven's home. They took snips of his hair and bowls of his blood. They had to tune the magic to his DNA or it would surely fail. Preparations were finally ready. They bound him inside a circle of ancient runes beside the sleeping Aldegund. He cried and pleaded, but it only fell on deaf ears. Their matriarch would be angry they had chosen a male host, but in time she would forgive them. Light glowed from the circle and strange screams filled the rooms, the type of shrills howls that only the underworld could house. A beam of darkness shot up from the center and tendrils slowly reached out and wrapped around the two inside the spell.

When all seemed lost, yelling erupted outside the chamber. The door flew off its hinges from a powerful blow. Several witches shrank back, ceasing their chanting. Others focused on keeping the magic flowing. A tall shape emerged from the hall. Those who had stepped back from the circle did so in fear. They recognized this monster. Puck stared them down, almost begging one of them to attack. Some did, but they were quickly dispatched. Arrows of pure light flew from his finger tips, shredding the dark tendrils. He paused in surprise at the fact the Aldegund had survived their previous encounter, but his focus on the screaming boy before him. Scooping him up, he ran with unnatural speed and grace. Once clear of the living areas, he stared with keen focus, lighting the place ablaze. The boy in his arms stared in amazement. "You saved me" was the only thing he said before passing out.

Puck carried the boy for days, sometimes in his arms as a man and other times on his back as a stag. The Harrowmourn witches had lost another host. Once home, Veda greeted them both with open arms. In time, he accepted them as his parents and Kavi as his brother. All seemed well for years. Then, one night, Jasper awoke from a sharp pain his chest. Not wanting to worry anyone, he kept it to himself. As time went on, the pain came more frequently, but he always passed it off as nothing important. His brother knew better, as did his parents. They kept a close eye on him, never knowing exactly what was happening. Eventually, his personality shifted. First, they thought is was a phase. Then, they assumed it was aside effect of his painful condition (whatever it may be). Then, one day, things went from bad to worst. Jasper was an entirely different person. His family tried to steer him in the right direction, but it was of no avail. His behavior only got worse until it finally became dangerous. Unsure how to help him, Puck and Veda decided it best to let him have some time alone. So, they dismissed him from the guild and set him off to find himself. The rest, as they say, is history.

-

To be continued...


	5. Chapter 5

Demons, part 5

It had been a long night. Jasper thrashed in his confines, cursing the entire guild. Kavi kept watch over him, calmly asking questions and gauging his brother's answers. Clearly, the memories were there, but no emotional attachment. Only one conclusion remained. Jasper was not in his own skin. Blythe stayed, too, keeping his partner company. He worried for Kavi, knowing the strength of his inner darkness. He refused to let Kavi lose to it again. Nearby, Yona snored loudly, her exceeds curled up asleep against her. Puck managed to lull Veda into slumber, but it eluded him. His mind ran wild with possibilities and plans. He would save his son, no matter the cost. Guilt plagued him for locking him away in the first place, but there was little choice at the time. The dark Jasper than ran wild in those days almost killed his beloved brother. Never again.

-

The next day, a sense of unease hung over the guild. Serpent Wing was ready for war. Everyone wanted deeply to help their master, but only a few could go. They now awaited that decision. Should the conflict between Serpent Wing and Harrowmourn Coven get out of hand, they may lose their guild status all together. Trying to go through the magic council would only be a hindrance. They needed to act quickly. Finally, Blythe entered the guild hall with Rani perched on his shoulder. He didn't look well. It was obvious he'd stayed up all night with Kavi. All eyes settled over him in question. It had always been Kavi to deliver orders and news. This was highly unusual, but to be expected under the circumstances.

Blythe cleared his throat as Rani offered a supportive smile. "Master Veda sends her thanks to everyone for helping out with yesterday's capture", he began, nervous. "It's just us", assured Callie. Blythe nodded, a little more relaxed. "So, who's going?", inquired Domino, avoiding eye contact. "Teams one and three", replied Rani. "Everyone else is to assist our master until we get back", added Blythe. Some general, conversational mutter rose and fell and everyone took their respective posts. Puck would lead the mission. Kavi, Blythe, Yona, and Ronen would follow closely. Rani opted to stay with Veda as a means of support. Van, Koko, and Yung-Li made up team three. They would stay a safe distance behind the others, ready to back them up or get help if needed.

The overall mood was dark as Kavi watched Puck and Veda share an embrace before departing. Blythe stood close, always offering a kind smile. Team four guarded Jasper, or whoever wore his skin, alongside Veda. He'd been rendered mostly powerless with a strong enchantment from Puck's ancient arsenal. This way, Jasper's body would remain safe while his soul was recovered from the coven. Vicious and venomous words spilled from his lips, but Veda knew it was really Aldegund saying such horrendous things and only looked over her son with pity. This seemed to irritate the witch all the more. Her secret was out and the power she had fed on through the pain inflicted by such words were now useless. Veda watched the rest of her family leave and prayed for their safe return.

-

Harrowmourn Coven laid several days away. Little was said outside of discussing tactics and orders. When the mages finally arrived, they looked on with wide eyes. The coven used several types of magic passed from one generation of sisters to the next. One of these magics controlled the very essence of nature, keeping them safe from prying eyes. Tree branches and roots shifted subtly, only seen from the corner of one's eye, trying to confuse the mages. If not for Puck, they would likely be lost. True, Kavi could locate them through sound in time, but the druid was their ace in the hole. Centuries of experience kept the mages safe.

The coven sat in the middle of a swamp. Torches lit the walkways and wooden buildings as witches of varying ranks went about their business. No one particularly stood watch. After all, who would dare invade here? Yona eyed the venomous snakes as they trudged through the murk, wondering if they tasted anything like eels. Puck flew overhead in his falcon form with Ronen, surveying the area. Kavi focused with his palm on the surface of the water, mapping what laid beneath with his magic. Blythe remained vigilant from the trees. A lifetime of rock climbing was paying off. Several yards behind, Yung-Li closely watched their exceed guild mate for any signals. Van inspected nearby mushrooms while Koko frantically waving her arms so he wouldn't taste them.

Puck flew in and landed on Blythe's outstretched arms. Staring deeply into the falcon's eyes, the blood mage somehow understood and nodded. The strange bird flew off once more and Blythe climbed down to relay information. Yona idly played with controlling the bog water until Kavi sent her an intense glare, prompting her to listen more closely. The plan was set. Yona would infiltrate the coven from below, easily able to hold her breath. Kavi and Blythe would make their way in from the shadows while Puck kept a keen eye from above. Ronen was responsible for giving the signal that would set everything into motion. Team three would also play a part here. Koko's illusions would provide an ample distraction and Yung-Li's speed would allow him to cause enough havoc to let the others slip by unnoticed while Van would temporarily enhance the stealth skills of team one.

-

Minutes later, the coven was in chaos. It seemed the swamp itself was attacking the witches and none of the magic did anything to repel it. It would only be a matter of time until they realized they were fighting mere illusions. Meanwhile, a humanoid blur preoccupied the interior. The main hall shot flares of various elements, trying to hit the shadow the plagued them. Van concentrated from a safe hiding place, boosting the stealth of Kavi and Yona. Blythe needed no help. Each footfall was completely silent. A lifetime of his previous family business assured that. Puck landed in the midst of the older, more powerful sisters. His shape-shifting took no time at all. He was truly a force to be reckoned with. Many of the witches recognized him, only causing further panic.

Somewhere deep in the complex, a tendril of water scoped out the immediate area. The make-shift periscope fell back into the main body of water and Yona calmly climbed the murk. "Blech, give me sea water any day", she sneered, sloughing off the grime. She was in some sort of basement. Arcane symbols covered every available inch. Strange lights wafted to and fro and tangible energy seemed to connect certain points of the room. No one was around to stop her, so she headed for the door, seeing nothing of interest to their goal. Halfway across the room, she heard an odd "tink" sound. It took several more "tinks" for her trace its exact location. The connected points were encircling something. Every touch to the wall of magic ended with a nasty shock. "Damnit!", she yelled, withdrawing her hand. In the center of the ward was some sort of table covered with a black cloth that hid whatever that annoying "tink" was. Looking around, she traced where the energy was coming from. These were no mage's runes. This was a very old kind of nature manipulation. Carved stones encircled the walls near the ceiling, all pointing toward the black clothed table. Sheer force wouldn't be enough to disrupt the flow of energy. She needed a plan.

-

Elsewhere, Kavi and Blythe had infiltrated the living quarters. The few witches that remained inside were easily dispatched. Blythe watched his partner with silent admiration. He'd never seen Kavi fight like this before. He was usually reserved and clearly holding back, but here, he was someone else entirely. Blythe smiled faintly to himself. It was obvious that Kavi was not taking the chance of losing his brother again. A loud roar of sound sent one of the Harrowmourn sisters flying from a nearby hallway. The ex-bounty hunter relied on his hand-to-hand skills more than his magic. He was still unsure of his power and reluctant to use it. Catching up, he was surprised to see Kavi staring into space with a horrified expression.

"Kavi!", shouted Blythe, shaking him by the shoulders. No response. A sinister laugh sent a shiver down Blythe's spine. He turned to see a woman watching them with pleasure. "It's no use, mage. He's under my power", she stated. Taking a protective stance between them, Blythe stood his ground. "What did you do to him?", he demanded. The witch looked over him calmly. She was clearly unimpressed. "You've had a terrible misfortune running into me. With Lady Aldegund currently out of commission, I'm in charge here. "They call me North. What is your name, mage?", she asked. Blythe stared her down in silence. Puck had warned them all to never tell their names once inside the coven. He'd explained that one of the oldest types magics could control you simply by knowing who you were. "Silence? Pity", she sighed.

"Tell me what you did", said Blythe. North approached him, unthreatened despite his stance and drawn weapons. A thrown knife grazed her cheek as she strode forward. She didn't even flinch. "Blood", she uttered. This unnerved Blythe, but he kept his determined glare. "You reek of it", she sneered. She was clearly trying to get under his skin. "I know", replied Blythe, trying to appear calm. North grinned at his response. Her gaze intensified and a strange sensation washed over him. He quickly came to the terrible realization that he couldn't move. North leaned close to his face and inspected him closely. "Your soul is stained red, mage. What have you been doing?", she taunted. Unable to respond, he simply grit his teeth in annoyance. Lifting her hand, she gently laid it over his eyes. "Join your friend", was the last thing he heard.

-

In another world, Blythe opened his eyes. Strong winds whipped sand into his face. The sky appeared a reddish color and despite the howling winds, he could make out a familiar voice. He spun around in alarm to see his father staring him down. "Where have you been, boy?", spat Yavuz. Blythe tried assure himself himself this wasn't real, but a quick glance at his hands showed him to be a mere child once more. The sound of crying made him look left. There he saw an ethereal vision of his mother crying. "You let me die", she sobbed. "Your magic could have saved me", she said, reaching toward him. Instinctively stepping back, he bumped into someone. As he turned with shaking eyes, Tanya cracked her knuckles with an evil smirk. "About time you came home to play", she said, grabbing his collar.

Somewhere else, but still in this strange world, Kavi stood in silence. He could see his father reading from the sacred text over several graves. Each grave bore the name of a loved one. Seemingly unaware of his son, his father read on. Kavi slowly stalked forward. His father stopped dead. Turning with a cold expression, he said, "Look what your wicked ways have wrought. You should have died." Without warning, an arm shot up from the sand. Kavi fell back and kicked at it in panic. His voice was gone once more and his magic didn't seem to work here. A half decayed vision of Tanya crawled from the sands. "You did this to me", she gasped, clawing her way toward him. Familiar voices filled his ears. Every guild mate he had buried from the attack stood around him. "Join us", they rang out, seemingly closing off his escape route from the vengeful spirit of his only victim.

What was this awful world and was there any way to get out?

-

To be continued...


	6. Chapter 6

Demons, part 6

In another realm or mental hell, Kavi was surrounded. Shades of his former guild mates beckoned him unto death. His father watched coldly as the rotting form of Tanya Sandrunner scratched her way toward the dragon slayer. His pleas and screams were completely silent. His voice wasn't working, nor was his magic. Grasping his throat, he stared at his blood covered hand in shock. His entire throat was missing, just as the day Gita had found him. Looking passed his trembling hands, he saw every scar had reverted to open wounds. He was drenched in his own life fluid. Kavi shot a desperate look toward the ethereal forms of his friends. No one seemed to see his distress. Their eyes were empty, soulless. Tanya grabbed onto his ankle with a hideous smirk. In his horror, he'd failed to rise to his feet, making him an easy target. His stomach turned as semi-clotted blood dripped from her ears, a sign of her destroyed brain. He hated the fact he had done it, but there was no way to take it back.

A short distance away, Blythe faced his own turmoil. He'd reverted to his childhood state. His father loomed over him, the same dark look on his face Blythe had always remembered. "You're weak", spat Yavuz. Tihana's spirit had fallen, mimicking her death. Her disembodied head ceased rolling just by the mage's feet. "Look what you did. It's all your fault", stated Tanya with a cold glare. "She had to die because you interfered", she hissed. Blythe clutched his shirt in his palm. His chest hurt so badly, he wanted to scream, but what was the use? Defiantly meeting his sister's gaze, he said, "This isn't real." She laughed as she slit his cheek with her dagger. "Then why are you bleeding?", she taunted. A dark grin crept over his lips. Blood - his secret weapon. He didn't want to hurt anyone, but these were merely illusion, right? The flow of red liquid increased as he concentrated. As he got to his feet, a massive liquid scythe stood between him and his sibling. Her look of surprise was quickly turned to one of disgust. "You're a mage", she stated, distastefully.

Yavuz held an expression of rage that Blythe had only seen once before - when he killed Tihana, his mother. "I always knew you were trash", he said, through grit teeth. "This isn't real", repeated Blythe. A quick glance at his shaking fist confirmed it. By standing up to his fears, he'd regained his true age. "All grown up and still a useless fool", sighed Yavuz. He seemed to smirk at his son's rebellious stance. "What is it, boy? You gonna cut me with that scythe? Or are you too scared?", he teased. The scythe lost its shape and fell to the shifting sands as a huge puddle. Tanya watched in confusion. Blythe was no longer staring them down. He stood with his eyes closed and taking deep breaths. "This isn't real", he said, his tension fading. When he opened his eyes, the mirages of horror were gone. The sky around him seemed to crack. The wind whipped up angrily. Something new formed in the haze. Blythe watched with terrified wonder as a vision of himself stepped forward. It was him, but it wasn't. This version seemed wild, unhinged, perhaps even crazed.

This new vision stepped toward him. He looked a little older, his hair a little longer, his eyes much colder. Pointed metal rings decorated the fingers of one hand. With a disturbing laugh, he lifted that hand and punctured the skin of his opposing arm. The blood came out quickly, taking the form of long, fluid tendrils. Blythe swallowed hard, unsure of what this all meant. One of the tendril lashed out. He barely blocked in time. "What are you?", asked Blythe through tense breaths. "Isn't it obvious?", chuckled his other self, "I'm the future you." Blythe slowly shook his head in disbelief. It couldn't be, could it?

-

In the physical world, Yona had everything ready. She would get to whatever hid beneath the black shroud. She was determined to find out what that stupid "tink" was. If Puck had found this place, he could break through the barrier. Beside him, Yona was the only one. She was dragon slayer, but more importantly, she could manipulate one of the essential elements. Using a secret art, she sat in concentration, her eyes sealed shut with focus. Around her, several orbs of water floated in the air, slowly orbiting their master. Strange sparks reflected off them as she poured more power into the confined spaces. Lifting her hands, she pressed two fingers from each hand together, then to her lips. The orbs began moving faster. The speed continued to increase as she fought to maintain control. When he eyes shot open, the orbs each flew at their designated target, penetrating the barrier and shattering the carved stones.

Energy burst into miniature explosions around the room as the flow was disrupted. She smirked to herself with pride. "Take that, you stupid wall", she grinned. Her moment of victory was cut short by another barrage of "tink" noises. Annoyed, she marched toward the altar. She pulled the shroud aside to find a simple crystal beneath. Unimpressed, she poked it. It moved. That sound she kept hearing was the crystal bumping against the metal on its pedestal. "The hell?" She leaned in for a closer look. The seemingly solid surface shifted into various colors. She slowly picked it up and inspected it closely. Was that an eye just now? Wait...It was a face. Staring ridiculously close at the crystal, she uttered, "Jasper?".

-

Back in the hellish realm that trapped her friends, Kavi had little choice, but to defend himself. The vision of his friends had faded. Only Tanya and his father remained. She laughed at his efforts not to harm her. "Afraid you'll kill me again?", she taunted. Kavi squinted toward her, annoyed. There had to be a way out of this mess. "Don't be silly. She's already dead", stated his father. "I know. You're scared my baby brother will find out. Is that it?", she teased. Kavi got back to his feet and dusted himself off. He peered at this ghostly visage with both pity and remorse. That expression seemed to irritate the spirit. "Stop that", it demanded. Sorrow poured from the dragon slayer's eyes. "I said stop it!", screamed Tanya. He slowly reached up and removed his glasses, showing the tears in his eyes. "I'm so sorry. Can you ever forgive me?", he pleaded. Tanya shrank back a few steps, unnerved. "What kind of bullshit is this?! I'm supposed to hug you and say everything's okay? I don't think so! You killed me, you asshole! You. Killed. ME!", she shrieked. Kavi flinched as her hatred washed over him.

He turned his eyes down to the sand. "Yes. I am responsible", he said solemnly. From the corner of his eye, he could see the images begin to fray. Some sort of glitch ran through them like static on a television. "What?", uttered Tanya, seemingly out of words. Kavi looked up and met her gaze. "I said I am responsible. Maybe it was destined. Maybe you had it coming...Either way, it wasn't for me to decide. I overstepped my authority by taking your life and for it I'll likely burn in hell beside you...Be that as it may, I still offer my sincere apology and condolences. It was wrong to cut your thread of fate. I accept that responsibility. I'll never live it down, nor will I even try. I'm sorry." Tanya trembled at his words. Despite her hate, tears formed and one even managed to fall. With a sad smile, her visage began to break apart. She faded from view, taking the sense of hate with her.

Kavi took a deep breath. Replacing his spectacles, he turned toward his father. He stepped close, meeting him eye to eye. "And what benevolent words do you have for me? I don't care what you say. You may repent to the gods above, but I will never forgive you. It's your fault your mother died. It's your fault I sinned. Everything about you is wrong and I have no wish to accept any of it", said the man coldly. A faint grin crossed Kavi's lips as he embraced the visage of his hateful father. "I forgive you", he whispered. The image distorted, unable to cope with the turn of events. It burst into dust, leaving Kavi alone in this strange realm. Hoping the worst was over, he turned to look for a way out. Instead, he spotted his brother. "You left me behind", stated Jasper, a sad look in his eyes. "I know, but I'm back. I'm here for you now. I have a lot to make up for. Will you help me?", asked Kavi, extending his hand. Jasper seemed to smile in response. Perhaps there was hope after all.

-

To be continued...


	7. Chapter 7

Demons, part 7

In a realm of nightmares, Blythe stood facing another version of himself. This mirage seem to be him, but older and wilder. Tendrils of blood danced in the air between them. "You're not real", stated Blythe, trying to relax. The vision laughed menacingly. "How can you be so sure?", it teased. "This place isn't real. You're just a manifestation of my subconscious", replied Blythe. His other self stood lax as the blood started to orbit languidly around him. "Figured out that much, have you? Then let me ask you this - If I'm just a mirage conjured by your fears, then I am obviously what you see yourself becoming. Why is that it, Blythe? Do you fear the madness or welcome it?", taunted the mirage. Through sheer force of will, Blythe calmed himself in the face of this question.

Slowly, he met the eyes of this taunting image. "You're wrong. The one that controls this place, the witch, she just picked up bits of information from my mind, just enough to conjure you. This entire place is a trap meant to paralyze its victims...Some form of twisted dream magic", stated Blythe. His other self seemed annoyed by this, making an awful sneer despite the static within its image. Another crack splintered the sky overhead. A dark stare pierced Blythe straight to his soul as the mirage took on the shape of the witch, North. She glared at him with distaste. "You're smarter than you look, mage. How did you figure out my spell so quickly?", she asked, sceptically. Blythe grinned faintly. "I've spent most of my life living alongside fear. It's not so bad once you get used to it", he replied calmly.

The sky shattered, revealing a darkness of molten memories. North glanced toward the shifting images with little interest. "If you don't fear the past or the future, what of the present?", she said, taking on a confident stance. "What do you mean?", inquired Blythe, taking a step back. North chuckled at his unease. "You're friend is here, too. Did you know he's keeping a secret from you?", she taunted. Blythe squinted at her in question. In the distance, Kavi and Jasper finally laid on eyes on the blood mage. "Go", said Jasper, nodding toward him. Kavi nodded in kind, thanking his brother before taking off in a run.

"He's close and he's afraid. He doesn't want you to know the truth, but this world is mine and with the two of you in it, I have access to all of your memories. Let's take a look, shall we?", said North, with an evil sneer. The darkness behind them settled into one image - Tanya, Blythe's sister. She was clearly staring down someone she hated. You could see it in her face, but who? Taunts were made and blows were exchanged. Then it finally hit Blythe. He recognized the voice behind the camera (as it were). It was Kavi. In a flash of horrid rage, Kavi's hands settled over Tanya's ears and unleashed a terrible sound. Her screams chilled him. Then, he saw her fall, dead and Kavi's blood soaked hands came into view, shaking violently. Then North pulled the plug and the rest of the memory was lost.

Blythe was in shock. Everything felt numb and heavy all at the same time. Eventually, he realized his name was being called. He slowly turned to find Kavi skidding to a halt nearby, shame in his eyes. "I can explain", panted the desperate dragon slayer. The sight of tears on Blythe's face was like a knife to his heart, knowing he was the cause. North laughed wildly behind them, clearly amused by their pain. "Why?", uttered Blythe, his voice shaking. Kavi straightened his posture, catching his breath. "She killed them all, Blythe...Everyone from the guild...She was targeting Veda. I had to do something!", replied Kavi, somewhat pleading for mercy in his tone. His own tears beginning to fall, he sadly stated, "It was the biggest mistake of my life."  
North's terrible laughter was annoying, but Kavi couldn't peel his eyes away from Blythe's horrified stare. "I'm sorry", he uttered with earnesty. "Have fun, boys", taunted North, vanishing from sight. Blythe couldn't move. He wanted to take that expression off his face, but he just couldn't. He felt so torn inside. Kavi simply stood and stared, waiting for a response. He was terrified he would lose the only light in his life because of his past actions. The wind whipped up the sand, blowing fiercely between the transfixed mages. Finally, Blythe took a deep breath and started walking toward his lover. Kavi was nervous. Blythe looked angry, an odd look for his sweet nature. A mere step away, Kavi flinched and braced for impact. Seconds later, he opened his eyes in surprise. He hadn't been hit. He was being embraced. Blythe wept into his shoulder. "Why? Why did you think you had to bear such a heavy burden all by yourself?", he sobbed. Kavi's entire being gave way to shaking as the two dropped to their knees.

"You don't hate me?", asked Kavi, breathlessly. Blythe hugged him harder in response. "I only hate that you felt you couldn't share that pain. I know you. You took no pleasure in killing Tanya. In fact, it eats at you, doesn't it?", he replied. Giving in to the moment, Kavi returned the embrace, grateful for someone so pure at his side. A few minutes passed as nerves were gathered. Rising from the sand, Blythe offered his hand. "Let's get out of here. Jasper's waiting", he said, offering a soft smile. Accepting the gesture, Kavi, too, got to his feet. "How?", he asked, staring into the void around them. Blythe kept a firm grip on his hand. "This is all an illusion, a prison of fear. Go to your happy place and the illusion will shatter", explained Blythe. Kavi looked to him in wonder. When did that sweet, goofball get so wise? With a faint smile, the answer came to him. The ultimate weapon against fear was love. Leaning in, both were set free.

-

Back in the real world, Kavi's eyes focused just as North's blade grazed his throat. Behind him, she held on, waiting to catch his limp body. "Even if you get out, you'll have nowhere to return to", she smirked. To her surprise, a barrage of throwing knives came from her other victim's direction, pinning her to the wall by her clothing and hair. "Impossible!", she shouted, realizing Blythe was free from her spell. She watched as Blythe ran to Kavi in panic. A simple nod from the dragon slayer set him at ease. "What?!", cried the witch, "You're supposed to be dead! I sliced your throat open like a fish!" Kavi turned to meet her fiery gaze with a smirk. His collar fell loose from the cut, revealing his scales. "What are you?!", hissed North. Her athame was clearly not enough to pierce a dragon's scales.

Blythe loosely wrapped his arms around Kavi's shoulders and beamed at the pinned witch. "Your knife will never be enough to take down the defenses my mother left behind", stated Kavi. He reached forward and set his hand over her eyes. North shrieked in panic, awaiting what she had seen in his mind. Instead, a string of inaudible notes rendered her unconscious. In her terror, she never saw Kavi's other hand touch Blythe's ear, pulsing a harmless string of beats to cancel out the attack. North hung limply against the wall, pinned by Blythe's knives. "What should we do with her? It's too dangerous to leave her alone", said Blythe. "She'll be out for a while, even if someone comes along and tries to wake her", replied Kavi. As a moment of silence passed through, he blushed at Blythe's affection. (He'd since tightened his grip.) "Don't forget, you're not alone anymore", uttered the blood mage, followed by a soft kiss on the cheek. Kavi grinned faintly. "You're right. I'm sorry", he sighed.

"We should probably find Yona before she destroys something important", stated Kavi. Blythe chuckled in agreement. Turning to find an exit, he was stopped by a firm grip on his wrist. Turning toward his lover, he asked, "What is it?". Kavi's expression was dark and his eyes downcast. "I saw something in there", he said solemnly. Slowly looking up, he said, "You died." Blythe relaxed and offered a soft grin. "Likely a just another mirage", he offered. Kavi shook his head. "No. I think it was from when your magic awakened. Fairy Tail was there", he explained. He started trembling and uttered, "There was so much blood." Blythe looked on helplessly. True, Kavi had been told about the incident, but it seemed he wasn't aware of all of the details. Blythe took Kavi's hand and pressed it to where the stake had pierced his torso. "See? No hole. I'm all right", he said. Kavi calmed faintly. Finally he said, "I'm sorry. I guess I played it down in my mind so I wouldn't worry, but it was serious...Don't ever do it again." Blythe nodded with a smile and the two set off to seek out Yona and Jasper. Hopefully, the worst of the coven's trials were over.

-

To be continued...


	8. Chapter 8

Demons, part 8

Blythe followed Kavi closely through the various halls of the coven's stronghold. North was out of the way. It was time to find Aldegund, but before they could do that, they needed to find Yona. There was no telling what kind of trouble she get into around here. Kavi navigated with his magic, honing in on Yona's heartbeat. Chaos could be heard overhead where the team three was keeping the witches busy outside. Most the compound lie underground where the coven could be more in touch with mother Earth. The duo rounded a corner and took out another two witches in their way. Kavi nodded them onward. Yona was close.

A few turns later, the boys came to a halt in a doorway. Yona was inside the room, standing over the sleeping Aldegund. She had water poised to drown the master witch, determination in her eyes. "Yona, stop!", ordered Kavi. She glanced up, but kept the fluid ready. "Don't do it", pleaded Blythe. Yona sighed, annoyed. "Isn't that what we came here for?", she argued. Kavi inspected Aldegund closely. "We can't harm her. Jasper could be trapped inside", he said, mere inches from the witch's face. "Don't be stupid. He's not in that old hag", scoffed Yona. "How can you be so sure?", inquired Blythe. Rolling her eyes, Yona reached into her shirt and produced a crystal from her bosom. "Because I already found him", she replied triumphantly.

Kavi snatched the crystal from her hands and peered at it curiously. "Where did you get this?", he asked. "Where were you keeping it?", added Blythe meekly. (It was well known within their team that Yona did not believe in bras.) "My little secret", she replied with a wink. Shaking it off, Blythe stood beside his lover and also inspected the crystal in question. "Is he in there?", he inquired quietly. Kavi's eyes were closed as he focused on the structural resonance within the item in question. A faint grin crossed his lips with a sigh of relief. "Where do you find this?", he asked again. "They had inside some kind of barrier down in the cellar. It wasn't that hard to disable it", shrugged Yona. Kavi sent her a curious glance, unsure how she could manipulate the barrier, while Blythe stared on in admiration of her feat.

Kavi stared back at the unconscious witch. "We got what we came for. Leave her", he said, turning to leave the room. "Whhhaaattt?!", cried Yona, "You've gotta be shitting me! The old biddie could wake up and cause us an even bigger pain in the ass!" Her team leader sighed. "Don't worry. Puck will know what to do with her", said Kavi calmly. "And how are we supposed to find him in this place?", asked Yona skeptically. Blythe simply stood back and watched them hash it out. This was pretty normal for them. "I've already signaled him. He'll be here any moment", explained Kavi. Yona looked around the room in question. "I didn't hear anything", she said. Kavi smirked. You wouldn't. That tone can't be picked up by human ears", stated Kavi.

Seconds later, a white owl dove through the small ventilation shaft. As it landed, it morphed into a more familiar form. Puck strode forward and stood over Aldegund with dark eyes. "That actually worked?!", said Yona in shock, "I thought you were pulling my leg." Seemingly ignoring the antics of his guild mates, Puck inspected the witch closely. With a wry smile, he glanced up at Yona and said, "These ears do more than frame my face." She stared at him with mixed expressions. She wasn't used to him being so relaxed, let alone attempting to be funny. Kavi just grinned in the background while Blythe stifled a chuckle. Stepping forward, Yona said, "She doesn't look so tough to me." Puck glanced up with a serious look in his eyes. "Don't underestimate her", he scolded.

The elf briefly analyzed the crystal that contained Jasper's soul. After several minutes of silence, he sullenly said, "I have no choice." He motioned for the others to step back before acting. Strange tendrils of blue and violet light wisped from his fingers through the air as he placed his palm over Aldegund's eyes. He focused intently, closing his eyes and making some sort of rune in the air with his free hand. Kavi clasped his hands firmly over Yona's ears without warning. She started to try to dislodge him, but saw Blythe doing the same himself. Though she couldn't make out what Puck was saying, a deep tremor ran through every fiber of her being. She glanced over and saw Kavi struggling to stay conscious as he shielded her ears. An orb of light emerged from the witch, coming to rest gently in Puck's open hand. He calmly pressed this entity against the crystal. Yona watched in awe as the crystal seemed to absorb whatever it was.

Puck turned and placed a warm hand on Blythe's shoulder. An assuring nod and Blythe lowered his hands. Kavi released Yona and tumbled to one knee. "What the hell did you do?!", spat Yona. Blythe tended to his partner. Kavi brushed him off, saying he would be fine. Puck offered a hand and helped his adopted son to his feet. "You did well", he said proudly. Kavi nodded with a faint grin. Ruining the moment, Yona burst out, "Okay, somebody tell me what the hell just happened!". Kavi shook his head, seemingly trying to adjust the pressure in his ears. "I captured her soul", stated Puck stoically. "Eh?!", cried Yona. Coming back to his senses, Kavi said, "That was a language mortals aren't meant to hear. If you'd have wriggled loose from me, you'd be dead." Yona stared in shock. "You're welcome", smirked Kavi. "So how did - ...", trailed Yona. "Isn't it obvious?", beamed Blythe, "Kavi-kun's magic protected him." Puck nodded in agreement. "He diverted the sound waves away from him enough so that he was unharmed...A little dizzy perhaps, but unharmed", said the elf.

Unamused with the answers she was getting, Yona decided it was time to go. "Okay, fine. We got them both. Can we go home now?", she sighed. "Yes", replied Puck calmly. "Good. I was starting to get -", said Yona, losing her words sharply. "Bored...", she added weakly, as blood seeped from her lips. Looking down in calm horror, she could see something sharp piercing her chest clean through from behind. "Well, damn", she uttered as she fell to the ground. "Yona!", screamed Blythe. As the dragon slayer fell, a formidable energy radiated throughout the chamber. "What just happened?!", demanded Kavi, taking a defensive stance. An eerie chuckle permeated the area. Brief glimpses of some sort of shadow could be seen from the corner of one's eye.

Blythe struggled to help his team mate while Kavi and Puck surveyed the room with an intense air. Something sounded just in front of Blythe's face, making him jump back in surprise. A spear struck the ground right his head had been. It was identical to the one know impaling Yona. Blythe's shaky eyes settled onto Puck's smoking finger tips. The elf nodded. He had just saved the young mage's life. "Come out!", ordered Puck. "You're no fun", said a disembodied voice. Blythe looked around breathlessly. It finally dawned on him that the fighting outside had ceased. "Blythe!" Snapping out of it, he looked to Kavi. "She's counting on you now", said the dragon slayer. Pulling himself together, the blood mage nodded, and turned his focus onto his fallen friend.

A strange looking creature stepped from the shadows. "Your friend's speed is pretty handy", grinned the entity. Kavi's gaze narrowed. Yung-Li's magic had been used against them. What could then be said for the mage himself? "You're still hiding behind someone else's power", stated Puck, staring down the beast. "Fine. Take away all of my fun", whined the creature, fading into a young witch. Kavi's chest felt heavy. It was hard to breath. Speed and illusion magic that didn't belong to her. That could only mean Koko had also been defeated. He now wondered of his guild mate's fates and questioned if they had made the right decision coming here. "Don't worry, mister mage. They're alive", said the witch, lilting her head to one side with a sweet smile. "What have you done?", asked Kavi, barely keeping himself together. A glance from Puck was enough to calm his nerves. "I'm just borrowing their magic. There's no law against borrowing", said the girl.

"And you are?", ventured Puck. The girl's eyes widened as she set her sights on him. "Wow, an elf! I can hardly imagine what kind of fun I could have with your magic!", she beamed. "Who are you?!", spat Kavi, losing his patience. "So mean", pouted the girl. She appeared to be around eight or nine years old. "You should be nicer to me. North says I have the potential to take over this coven", she beamed. Calmer, Puck asked again, "What is your name, child?". She giggled at his manners. "They call me Dalia. You're mages from Serpent Wing, aren't you? I told North to let that incubus go, but she chided me and said that Aldegund was having fun...I wanna have fun, too!", said the child. "Won't you play with me?", she beamed, a slightly deranged look in her eyes. It seemed our mages weren't going home just yet.

-

To be continued...


	9. Chapter 9

Demons, part 9

Blythe carefully pulled the spear free from Yona's flesh. She was bleeding badly. Despite the chaos around him, he needed to focus if he was going to save her. He was her only hope. Nearby, Kavi stood guard over the duo while Puck faced off against Dalia. The child wielded her stolen magic with expertise. Koko's illusions were nothing to Puck. He'd dealt with trickery his entire life. The problem was Yung-Li's speed. If he could just land a blow on the girl, things would be over quickly. The thoughts of his defeated comrades had to be pushed to the back of his mind. If he fell, Dalia would truly become unstoppable.

Yona's shallow breaths were shaking Blythe's confidence. "Just breathe. You can do this", offered Kavi. Blythe nodded without looking away from his patient. Her blood was starting to obey him. Kavi listened intently to his surroundings. Dalia and Puck were moving far too fast to follow with his eyes. He could hear clashes ring out mixed with the girl's annoying giggles. He could also hear Yona's heartbeat waning and Blythe pulse rushing under the stress. He was right at home in the world of sounds most humans never notice. Each breath was clear as day. H focused hard. He'd finally managed to locate team three. They were alive, but their heartbeats indicated two of them were unconscious. Only two. What of Van, then?

Ronen flew in through the same window Puck had entered earlier. He was horrified at the sight of his life long friend in the floor. He landed beside Yona and took her hand into his paws, silently watching Blythe concentrate. Subtle hand gestures seemed to be controlling the mass of red fluid around them. Deep inside his crystal prison, Jasper felt helpless. His family was fighting to save him and now friends he yet to meet had fallen. He glared at the orb drifting beside him, Aldegund's soul. This was all her fault. It was so cold in that prison. His mind had been trapped, but his spirit was still within his body. Aldegund's mind had taken over his mortal coil and relegated him to being her prisoner once again. Pressing his palms against the stone, he tried to sense what was happening outside, but too much energy was swirling to be certain of anything.

-

Back at the guild, deep in Veda's sanctum, Jasper's body was being held within both physical and magical bonds. Team four was in charge of guarding the scene. If the witch summoned enough power to break free, she would surely go after Veda. Rani sat sadly beside her guild master. The worry in Veda's eyes was heart-wrenching. A chain let off noise as Jasper's body shifted in its slumber. Hantu glared, ready to act, but a knowing look from her cousin calmed her nerves. Hantu and Grem were forbidden from using their magic. Explosions would harm and possibly kill Jasper while Grem's chaos would likely make things worse. Even he never knew what was going to happen when he pulled at the fabric of reality. Ahiru meditated in front of their prisoner. Her empathetic powers would be their early warning system should something inside the incubus change. Acheron tried not to stare at Veda, but she drew his eye none the less.

When Jasper was brought down here, they had no choice, but to bind him. The second heartbeat was troubling. Even more troubling was what they found upon closer inspection. Beneath his shirt, a network of lines darker than jet black radiated from Jasper's heart. A small, seemingly secondary heart, beat regularly just below the skin. It was assumed to be Aldegund, but destroying it might kill him. They had to wait for Puck and the others to return. Veda prayed for their safety and swift return. At this point, her entire family was on the line.

-

At Harrowmourn Coven, a lone figure dragged itself through the aftermath of the above-ground battle. Many of the witches had either fallen or fled. Koko and Yung-Li had been dragged to safety, where they could rest without worry. Van held his ribs tightly. A faint smirk traced his bloody lips. The last fight had taken much out of him, but he was still alive. A few broken ribs were a fair price for that. He'd tried to guard his team mates, but a nagging feeling told him to go below ground. Unable to ignore it, he shuffled lamely along the walls toward whatever was calling him. It was excruciating to move, but he pressed on despite the pain. Soon, he found an unconscious witch pinned to the wall with throwing knives. He grinned to himself, knowing a sure sign Blythe had been there. Eventually, he could hear movement ahead.

-

Down the network of corridors, Blythe had nearly restored most of Yona's lost blood. Now he had to close the wound. He held his team mate in his arms, one hand over each side of the impalement. Peering into the room, Van was shocked to see not only Yona on the floor, but how close Blythe's hand was to her breast. Shaking the thoughts from his mind, he glanced around and focused on a familiar magic signature. With a deep breath, he focused and sent a pulse out, his secret weapon. Dalia ran straight into a wall with a loud "thud!". Rubbing her forehead and getting to her feet, she whined, "No fair! You're cheating!". Puck came to a graceful stop just steps away. He sent a grateful glance toward Van. His enhancement magic was tricky, but he'd learned how to get things down 'through the back door' as it was. Instead of trying to increase Puck's speed, he'd simply slowed Dalia but enhancing the effect gravity had on her. A smug grin crossed Van's bruised face. He was the only one who could bring down Yung-Li if needed.

Dalia looked at her hands, confused as to why he body felt so heavy. "What did you do to me?!", she yelled. Puck stepped closer, ignoring her screams of outrage. She couldn't even back away. Her feet were stuck to the ground where she stood. She flinched as the elf stepped before her. A light touch to her forehead made her open her eyes. Two fingers was all he needed to draw the stolen power from within her tiny body. "Stop it! That's not fair!", she cried, feeling the magic flee her. She suddenly shuffled away from him as a soft 'thump' resounded from the doorway. Van had passed out. Glad she could move again, Dalia stared at Puck with a curious expression. What was he going to do with her?

Nearby, Yona gasped for air. The trio around her sighed in relief. She struggled to focus her blurred vision. Her eyes settled over Blythe's blood spattered face. He offered a kind smile that said, "Welcome back." Ronen leapt into the dragon slayer's arms, a rare departure from his usually stoic behavior. Yona experimentally felt along her skin. No mark remained from her injury. "You saved me?", she uttered softly, unsure how to react. "Of course I did. You didn't think I'd just stand by and watch you die, did you?" beamed Blythe. Shyly averting her gaze, she mumbled, "Thank you." It the best he was going to get, so Blythe took it in stride. Yona didn't often show her soft side. In fact, most of her fun came from giving her new savior a hard time.

Yona glanced around the room and followed Kavi's cautious gaze toward Dalia. "Who's the kid?", she asked bluntly. "The one that stabbed you", replied Kavi, watching the girl closely. "That little - !", started Yona, struggling to get up. Blythe managed to keep her seated, though just barely. Everyone watched as Dalia backed into a corner. Puck calmly placed his palm over her face. In mere seconds, she slumped to the floor asleep. "What did you do?", inquired Ronen, resuming his normal sense of personal space. Puck gathered the child in his arms and approached the group. "She's merely asleep. Let's go home", he replied. Yona got her feet in a fluster. "You're bringing the brat?!", she snorted. He sent her a look that left no room for questions. Backing down, she found Van and poked at him with her foot. It was time to regroup and head home.

-

Inside his crystal prison, Jasper breathed out a sigh of relief. No one had been killed. That lifted a huge weight from his shoulders. Now, he looked forward to going home, reuniting with his family, and getting his own skin back. He had no idea how his father was going to pull off such a stunt, but if anyone could, it was Puck. All he could do now was wait and believe.

-

To be continued...


	10. Chapter 10

Demons, part 10

The weary mages had struggled home. Some of them were injured, others merely exhausted. Nervous eyes watched the young witch the entire trek, but she remained in her magic induced coma, never even opening her eyes. The rest of guild welcomed their comrades home with open arms. No one asked about the girl. Surely Puck knew what he was doing. After all, he was one of the guild leaders. Leaving team three to recuperate, team one followed Puck into Veda's sanctum. She watched with soft eyes as he placed the sleeping witch down gently before hugging him in relief.

Glancing at the child, she turned her eyes back to her husband, full of hope. With a faint grin, Puck produced the crystal that trapped Jasper's psyche. Veda cradled it softly in her hands before also embracing Kavi. Her boys were finally home. Rani and Ronen quickly traded stories before Rani rushed to Yona's arms with concern. Yona held her with pink cheeks. "You worry too much", she said, trying to assure her friend. "Sometimes, but not this time. If it weren't for Blythe, you wouldn't be standing here", chided Ronen. Rani looked Yona over as if inspecting her health. Satisfied, she turned her affections on Blythe, thanking him profusely. He hugged his exceed friend and made light of his actions. Kavi watched them all in silence. It was nice to see such warm emotions flowing, but things were not over. He stared at his brother's unconscious body, deep in thought. A hand on his shoulder dragged him back to reality. It was Puck, offering an assuring grin.

Team four was released from guard duty. Only Acheron remained behind in case he was needed. The chamber was completely silent as Puck approached his son. Veda held tightly onto Kavi as they watched. Everyone covered their ears as the elf began to chant. Kavi distorted the sound waves around his guild mates, as well. Such words were dangerous to mortal kind. Strange lights emanated from Jasper's body. He convulsed against the restraints. Aldegund was fighting back; She wasn't ready to let go just yet. The pure light took on a sinister air, changing colors and even lashing out in small sparks. In a split second, everything froze in time, then a massive pulse of energy shot out in all directions, knocking the mages back several feet.

Yona opened her eyes. "Owww", she whined, rubbing her hip as she got up. "What just happened?". Looking around, it was clear she wasn't going to get an answer. Everyone stood in mid freeze frame, as if time had stopped. Even the light and magic was solidly in place. She waved her hand in front of Puck's face. No response. She squinted at him in question. "What the hell did you do? Did you blow me up? Am I dead?! Why'd you kill me, asshole?!" An unfamiliar voice sounded behind her. "You're not dead. You're between worlds", it said. Turning, she stood in shock. An image of the old witch she almost killed was staring at her. "What do you want?", demanded Yona. Aldegund watched her without emotion. "I brought you here", stated the witch. "Why?", asked Yona, skeptically. "I've been watching you. You have potential, so I'm offering you a choice...Welcome me into your mind and I will teach you everything I know. You'll be unstoppable. No one will ever tell you what to do again, child", said Aldegund.

Yona maintained her distance. "If I refuse?", she ventured. Aldegund smiled politely, almost eerily. "I can keep you trapped here with me forever", she replied calmly. Yona laughed. "I wouldn't do that if I were you. I can be pretty annoying after a while", she scoffed. "Perhaps, but in time you may change your mind. I would much rather have a female host as it stands", said the witch. Yona stood in silence momentarily. "No one will ever tell me what to do again?...Bullshit. You'd be in control. We both know it. I'm smarter than I look", retorted the dragon slayer. Aldegund sighed, "Dragon slayers are always so testy and never very bright. I'm not surprised by your answer."

It seemed like several hours passed. Yona tried her best to get any of her friends to respond, but nothing worked. Aldegund watched her with amusement, sue she would win the battle of wills. Bored, Yona decided to wander around. She was surprised to find herself confined within a finite space. Some form of invisible barrier prevented her from going any further than the blast range from the magical feedback. Annoyed, she searched for a way out. This place sucked. No one to talk to, but the old hag and her magic wasn't working. Finally, something caught her eye. "What the - ?", she uttered. The space where Jasper had been confined was empty...No, it was bent. Light didn't seem to behave normally as if it was being drawn into this rip in reality. Aldegund sneered as she watched Yona head toward it. "Stay away from that! Are you trying to get yourself killed?", spat the witch. Smirking, Yona said, "It's better than hanging around with you", and stepped into the vortex.

Yona couldn't breathe. At first, she panicked, then she realized she wasn't suffocating. Her lungs and body felt fine. It almost felt falling, but no air was moving to tell which way was down. "Hello?!", she shouted into the void. Something grabbed her arm and tugged hard. She cried out in surprise before firmly hitting a stone floor. "Gaaahhh, dammit! Why do I always land on my ass?!" Faint laughter caught her attention. She suddenly realized a pair of boots were standing just before her. Following them upward, she found she was no longer alone or in the void. This new place was cold and smooth stone covered every surface. "Are you all right?", asked Jasper, offering a helping hand. Getting to her feet, she withdrew her hand. "You pulled me out of that pit, didn't you?", she inquired. He gave a soft smile and nodded in response.

Yona stepped close to him, inspecting him thoroughly. He stepped back in surprise. "So, you're an incubus?", she ventured, poking him here and there. Noticing him squirm, she grinned and added, "A ticklish one." She lightly tugged his pointed ears in fun. Finally stepping back, she stuck out her hand. "Name's Yonaguni. You must be Jasper...and that means I'm stuck in the crystal,too...Damn! Why do I always get sucked into parallel spaces when I try to help people?!" He shyly shook her hand. She was quite the odd one. "If you know me, then you've been helping my brother", he ventured. "More like your whole family", she said. He shied his gaze, seemingly lost in his memories. "Aren't you mad?", she asked bluntly. He looked at her in question. "I mean, if my dad locked me in a rock without trying to help me, I'd be pretty pissed", she shrugged. Jasper sighed, "You don't know the whole story. They all tried to help, but in time, hope diminishes. As a last resort, I was sealed away, yes, but it was done to protect me from rotting any further away." Yona gave him a funny look. "Dude, you're wordy. Definitely the nerd's brother", she said. Jasper blushed despite himself. Such words should make him angry, but he'd had no contact for a long time. Any company was good company. "So, are we trapped her forever or what?", blurted Yona, feeling along the seamless walls. "If anyone can get us out, it's my dad", assured Jasper.

-

Back in reality, everyone else got back to their feet. "Is everyone all right?", asked Puck. Slowly, everyone came to the senses and responded. Only one wasn't getting back up. Rani shook her friend' arm. "Yona-chan! Wake up!", she pleaded. Concerned faces gathered over the fallen dragon slayer. Puck made his way to her and focused on her aura. "Her mind's been taken", he stated grimly. "What does that mean?!", snapped Ronen. Puck sighed in concern, "I was hoping it would be me." Glances were exchanged. Finally, Blythe uttered, "You mean - ?". Placing a hand on his shoulder, Kavi nodded. "It's up to her now."

-

To be continued...


	11. Chapter 11

Demons, part 11

Time seemed to pass at a different speed inside the crystal prison. It felt like hours, though it had only been minutes. "I already told you - There is no way out. Matter can enter, but once it does, it's trapped", explained Jasper for the fifth time. "So, what then? We sit here and rot?", snorted Yona. Jasper sighed. He didn't know how to help the situation. The two mages sat against the stone wall in thought. "You're wrong", ventured Yona. Meeting Jasper's curious gaze, she said, "Something grabbed me to pull me in here. You did. So how did you get your hand out?". She watched his expression closely as he thought. "I sensed a distortion in the energy field. Then I felt the fear. That's how I found you", he replied. "Fear?", she repeated, confused. Jasper stared at his boots, seemingly uneasy. "It's because of what I am. Incubus are born predators...All of us can do it. It's like blood in the water to a shark", he explained solemnly. Yona began to blush, but quickly crossed her arms in a huff. "I wasn't scared! It was just a hint of panic!", she stated firmly. She had panicked at first when she couldn't breathe.

Jasper grinned to himself. Her bravado was almost cute. Looking the opposite direction, Yona added, "Besides, that only explains how you found me, not how you reached out." Jasper waited for her to turn toward him. "You misunderstand. The quantum fields overlapped. I saw your foot coming through the wall. If I left you in limbo, you may have gotten stuck between planes. I didn't want you to drift forever, so I pulled you in." She squinted at him. Him and his big words! He was annoying just like his brother, always making themselves sound so much smarter than everyone else. At least that's how she felt. Silence drifted in as conversation was avoided. An ethereal light floated by, some strange orb. "Aldegund's soul", offered Jasper. "But I saw her outside", argued Yona.

Over the next several minutes, Jasper explained a lot. "All living beings are made up of three parts - the mind, the soul, and the body. Some call the first part 'heart', but it comes out to the same equation. One's mind is easily severed. Comas are a good example. However,t he soul must stay with the body. If the two become separated, reuniting the pieces becomes unlikely. What you saw was Aldegund's mind, her conscious. Trapped with us is her soul. Our souls are still inside our bodies. It's our minds that have been imprisoned. That being said, it's no use trying to catch her soul. You can't touch it", he finished, watching her fruitlessly try to squish the witch's essence. "I saw your dad do it!", she stated. "Was he speaking a strange tongue?", asked Jasper calmly. Yona nodded. "I couldn't hear anything. Kavi blocked my ears", she added, flopping back down beside the incubus. "For your safety", smirked Jasper. "I guess. They said something like that", she ceded. "It's a language forgotten by man. If a human heard it, they'd likely die. My brother likely saved your life", said Jasper.

Yona tilted her head against the stone and stared into the undefined ceiling. "How do know all that?", she ventured. "I had a good teacher", replied Jasper with a nostalgic smile. He almost fell backward at Yona's sudden intrusion. She was uncomfortably close to his face. Blushing brightly, he stammered, "What is it?". She squinted, trying to focus in the low light. "Your teeth...", she trailed. He shyly covered his mouth with his hand as he sat back up. "Don't hide it. It's cool. I wish I had fangs", beamed Yona, resuming her seat. Jasper slowly lowered his hand and wished the red would fade from his cheeks. He never was overly confident around girls. now he was stuck with one that didn't understand the concept of personal space. "Pointy ears and fangs...What else is different?", she inquired. He stared in horror of the question. Yona sighed. The shy routine was getting old. "I mean different from humans. Do you have wall-climbing abilities or spidey senses?" He shook his head. "A few instincts and a natural gift for dream magic. That's all", he uttered. "Can I ask you something else?", she ventured. Having nowhere else to be, he nodded. "Why did you learn a second kind of magic? Acid or something?", she asked. "Corrosion", he corrected. "Yeah. Why?", said Yona.

Jasper sighed as he spun the tale. "Years ago, we were going on a mission. Kavi, Grace, Chaz, and I went out to clear the looters from a mine. Kavi got really sick just before we were due to leave, so he stayed here at the guild. I guess I thought I could fill his shoes as team leader. I was over confident... We told Grave to stay outside the mine, keep the people calm...Chaz and I went in. I'm the only one that came out... They was a cave in. Chaz was crushed because he shoved me to safety. I tried everything to get him free, but it was no use. I'd broken my left arm and simply wasn't strong enough to move the beams that pinned him. I watched helplessly as his blood soaked into my boots...I'm not sure if Grace blamed me or not. Things weren't the same when the two us returned tot he guild. I swore I'd never let something like that happen again. If I had a way to free him, he might have made it...So I learned corrosion magic. If I'd known it back then, I could have melted the debris away and saved my friend...I never counted on it being used against my own brother. When Aldegund took over, I could still see what was happening outside. I just couldn't stop it...That fight left a lot of scars, I'm sure...How is he?...Kavi, I mean? Is he all right?" Yona was unsure of what to say. That was a lot to take in. Finally, she said, "He's fine. He's got Blythe and that seems to keep him sane", she joked. "Blythe?", inquired Jasper. Yona's face fell at his curious expression. "You've got a lot to catch up on", she said carefully. A faint grin crossed Jasper's lips. "I see." Peering closer, she said, "Do you?", unsure he knew the depth of the situation. A bright smile surprised her. "I'm glad he finally found someone. If it's the same kind face I've seen in my brother's dreams, then I'll have to thanks Blythe when we get out of here." Yona smirked to herself as she sat back. Of course he knew or at least was able to figure it out. After all, they were brothers.

-

More time passed in silence. Jasper started to nod off. The unnerving feeling of being watched was keeping him awake. Yona watched him intently, interested by the prospect of what he might do differently than his human sibling. "Do you mind?", he finally said. He was starting to get used to her. "What? I'm not doing anything. Just looking", replied Yona. Jasper sighed as he sat up straight. "What's that?", asked Yona, pointing to his chest. His clothing was a tad odd. It seemed a mismatch of fabrics arranged in some strange pattern. Blue and violet fabric was held together by strips of tanned leather and a unique insignia was embroidered neatly in the center of his tunic. He absently traced the design with his fingers. "It's a uniform from the now defunct Nightmare Regiment", he said. "The what?", she asked bluntly. Hiding a faint grin, he explained, "A long time ago, there used to be a lot more kinds of people running around besides humans. Incubus was one of those races. We've long been blamed for being the origin of nightmares. I can't whether or not that's true, but I do know it would make sense. Think about it...If you could see someone's deepest fears, wouldn't wielding those fears be your best weapon? Whether it was done in offense of defense, I don't know...At some point, the balance of things shifted. Humans were extinguishing the other races out of hate and fear. A group of my people founded the Nightmare Regiment, but it's not what you think. It was actually founded to help preserve the peace. Humans were afraid of a lot of things, but so were the other folk. The regiment came together to project the fears back onto their attackers in defense of the few peaceful settlements where the races still mixed. What happened or when, I never found out, but the attempt failed. Humans didn't want to share. They wanted the world all to themselves and the rest of us just started to fade away...That's what my dad told me. It's why he travels, looking for surviving pockets of the fey. He takes them to safety...He says we're a family of 'lasts'. He's the last elf, mom's the last naga, and as far as we know, I'm the last incubus." True to her nature, Yona tried to fight off the emotions stirred by such a history. Lamely, she said, "That's really sad."

Shaking it off, she got to her feet with a new determination. "What are you doing?", inquired Jasper as he watched her tap along the stone wall. "You said there was some kind of overlap or gate or something. Where was it?", she asked. Jasper focused intently and located the point of entry. Yona smirked as she stared at the spot. "Stand back", she said, cracking her knuckles. "What are you going to do? you can't force your way out of here...I've tried", said Jasper. Odd, fluid movements flowed her muscles gracefully. "He of little faith. I'm just like the sea - strong willed and able to adapt", she grinned. Just before she could land a blow on the stone, the entire prism began to shake. Struggling to keep her balance, she covered her ears an shouted, "What the Hell is that?!". Guessing what she said by reading her lips, Jasper, too, covered his ears and yelled, "It's Kavi! He's trying to find the structural resonance of the crystal!". "WHAT?!", she hollered, deafeningly loud as the shaking ceased. Jasper winced. It seemed his pointed ears were for more than just show. "Sorry", she said sheepishly. He repeated himself as he tried to get his ears to stop ringing.

-

Outside, in the physical world, Kavi sighed, "I can't get a good reading. There's too much interference." Blythe lended a kind smile and said, "At least you tried." Puck pat his son on the shoulder. "It's all right. I didn't think it would work." Veda sat with Yona's limp body in her coils. "They'll figure a way out", she offered with a soft grin. "If Jasper could get out on his own, he hasn't he?", said Kavi, disappointed and slightly annoyed. "There was some kind of barrier, right? That's what Yona said", replied Blythe. Puck nodded in agreement. "Being so close to his body should help him build strength, as well. Don't despair, Kavi. If there's anything I've learned from watching your friend, it's that you can't discount her flexibility under pressure." A sneaky grin crept over Kavi's lips. Puck was right, as usual.

Nearby, Acheron stared at the sleeping witch, Dalia. "What about her?", he asked. All eyes turned to Puck. He'd brought her home with no explanation. He sent a glance to Veda, who simply nodded, knowing his plan. "She'll stay with us", he stated. "You mean join the guild?", inquired Ronen, skeptically. Blythe glanced at the girl before shyly asking, "Are you sure that's a good idea?". Puck strode over to the child and stroked her head softly. "Don't worry. I can suppress what the witches taught her. She deserves another chance", he said. Nervous looks were exchanged, but those present slowly accepted it. "But isn't she dangerous?", asked Rani with worry. "Her power is unique, but if harnessed with the right intent, I think she'll be just fine", replied the elf with an assuring grin. "What if you can't suppress her memories?", inquired Ronen. "Even if you can, it doesn't mean you should", he said, crossing his arms in thought. True enough, ethics were in question. "We'll give her a chance to change. If she chooses to accept her new home, we'll have to take a step at a time from there", said Puck. Seemingly satisfied, Ronen nodded. All they could now was wait.

-

To be continued...


	12. Chapter 12

Demons, part 12

Yona was determined to get out of her new prison. She simply refused to stay put. She really couldn't understand why Jasper had given up in the first place. Several failed attempts at force ended with bruised hands. If she were using her actual body, there would have been blood. Jasper had pleaded several times to get her to stop injuring herself, but her will was a force to be reckoned with. Now he silently stood aside and winced at each bone crunching sound. Tired and running out of energy, Yona sighed. Wiping the sweat from her brow, she turned her focus on the incubus. "Maybe if we try it together", she ventured. Jasper had already figured out there no use in arguing with her once she had made up her mind, so he ceded with a nod. One strong blow was all it took. Their hands were now in the void that separated the crystal from the outside world. Yona smirked in victory. Without warning, she grabbed onto Jasper's free hand and pulled hard as she leapt forward.

Between worlds, Aldegund watched with interest as Yona emerged from the black vortex. She was holding onto something. It wasn't possible...Was it? "What have you done?", asked the witch skeptically. The dragon slayer ignored her as she struggled to free her new friend. "I said - ", began Aldegund. Without turning, Yona hastily replied, "I heard you, you old wind bag. Now shut up and let me focus! This is harder than it looks." he old witch sat in silent awe. No one ever dared speak to her so before. She now questioned if she would even be able to suppress Yona's spirit given the chance. Yona let out a forced grunt as she pulled with all her might. Finally, Jasper came crashing back into reality.

"Ow", whined Yona, now flat on her back and below her comrade. In sheer panic, Jasper frantically tried to get up without touching her further. His face had a soft landing, but it didn't much for his shy personality. Bright red, he apologized profusely once free from entanglement. Yona sat up with a laugh. "Dude, it's all right. You're lighter than you look", she said. "Ye-yes, but-...", trailed Jasper. A loud sigh sounded from the witch. "I see. Perhaps you two should have stayed in privacy", taunted the old woman, only furthering Jasper's discomfort. Not missing a beat, Yona got to her feet and sassed, "You're just mad because mine are still perky." Jasper struggled to his feet. This assault on his senses was making him dizzy.

Taking a serious tone, Aldegund stared down the mages. "Do you realize what you've done?", she asked coolly. She glanced back a the shimmering vortex that led into the crystal's phsyical field. "You've managed to undo a powerful binding. How did you do it?" Yona and Jasper exchanged looks briefly. "Nobody can keep me where I don't want to be. That includes you", sneered Yona. The witch sneered toward them. "What's the matter? Scared?", taunted Yona. "Hardly", scoffed the proud old woman. "You are. I can see it", said Jasper. "And what would know about it?", asked Aldegund, annoyed. "The simple fact that you're here means my father successfully exorcised you from my body. That leaves you vulnerable. Unaware of where your own bones lay, you could be trapped in limbo forever...I can see it written in your aura", said Jasper as if reading a page from a book. Aldegund smiled eerily.

Maintaining her calm exterior, Aldegund said, "It matters little. With the black heart, I can still reclaim the demonspawn's body." Jasper seemed to merely stare at the floor at with a sad expression. "What'd you call him?", asked Yona, annoyed. "Demonspawn. He's a child of the darkness. There's no use denying it", replied the witch, grinning faintly that she'd managed to get under the teen's skin. "Is that right?", scoffed Yona, a distant look in her eyes. Keeping her gaze fixed on the witch, she called out to her new ally. Jasper looked at her in question. "You said this was her 'mind', right?", she inquired. He nodded, unsure where she was going with it. A cocky grin crossed her lips as she slowly strode toward Aldegund. "I may not understand all this 'energy fields' bullshit, but I do know that means one thing. I can touch you", she smirked, launching herself forward.

Jasper watched in shock as Yona gave the witch a good thrashing. "That's for starting all this in the first place! This is for hurting my friends! And this is for trapping me in your stupid scheme!", she shouted between punches. Shaking himself into action, Jasper ran forward and grabbed ahold of the dragon slayer. "Yona, stop! She's just an old woman here!", he pleaded. Yona continued to fight on despite his efforts until he stopped holding back. He was much stronger than he looked. Hauling her backward, he held on tightly. "Please stop", he repeated. Aldegund seemed unconscious at this paint. "All right!", snapped Yona, forcing herself to relax. Ignoring the fact that he'd just had his hands on her, his mind was settled on something else. "Why did you do that?", he asked, still taking it all in. "If I had to guess, I'd say you're the kind of guy that wouldn't hit a woman. So I did it for you", she said, not meeting his eyes. "But why?", asked Jasper once more. Yona chuckled faintly. "You really are dense...The entire guild went to war for you. Someone had to do something. Kavi wouldn't let me kill her, either...Don't realize what will happen if she gets back to her own body?"

He stared in wonder. Half of of him was amazed at how many strangers endangered themselves to save him and half of him suspected another reason. Gathering his nerves, he stated, "I won't let that happen." Yona watched as he strode passed her and lifted the witch in his arms. "What are you doing?", inquired the dragon slayer. "Just watch", said Jasper as he carried Aldegund to the crystal's vortex. Pausing in front of the energy field, he stared with mixed emotions into her face. She had done so much to him, his friends, and his family. With one deep breath, he let go of his anger. "Go back to your soul", he said as he gently passed the witch into her own prison. Yona had come up behind him. With a sigh, she said, "So now what?". Looking into the black abyss, Jasper replied, "We should get back to our bodies." Yona glanced around briefly before asking, "And how exactly do we do that?". Jasper grinned slightly as he turned to face her. "Your mind, though severed, still has a strong connection with other parts. Once you get close enough, they're should be a slight gravitational force that will pull you in, completing the whole", he explained. She gave him a funny look. "Sooo, walk over and I'll get sucked in?", she ventured. "More or less", he ceded, suppressing a laugh.

Yona turned to go back to her skin, but a faint tug halted her in her tracks. Glancing over her shoulder, she could see Jasper staring passed his red cheeks into the floor and holding onto her wrist. "Yona, wait", he stuttered. She turned to face him, a light smirk on her face. "What?", she teased. He'd let go of her, but still avoided eye contact. "When we get back to our bodies, everyone else will be able to see us again...", he trailed. She looked around at the seemingly frozen faces of her friends, almost having forgotten they were there at all. "And?", she said. "I'll be too shy to do this, so let me do it now", replied Jasper, pulling her into a tight embrace. For once, she found herself blushing as he whole-heartedly said, "Thank you." Unable to pull anything witty from air, she simply said, "You're welcome." He offered a grateful smile as she slid free from his arms. She nodded toward where his body was bound. "What are waiting for? They're all waiting for you", she said with a soft grin. He seemed uneasy about something still. Yona watched him carefully. "The black heart?", she ventured. Jasper nodded. "What does that even mean?", asked Yona, confused. Jasper sighed, "It's the physical link that binds her mind to my body." She seemed unimpressed. "So? Get rid of it. Done, right?", she asked. "Something like that...But I can't do it alone", said Jasper, staring toward Puck. "You now he'll help you. We've already gone this far", said Yona. Giving him a faint shove, she said, "Go." Jasper nodded and took a deep breath as they both headed for home.

Moments later, Yona sat up with a huge gasp for air. Everyone seemed to dart their eyes toward the sound. "Yona-chan!", cried Rani, pressing herself as close as possible, tears streaming down her tiny face. "Welcome back", grinned Ronen, letting Rani have her moment before hugging their friend himself. "I was starting to worry about you", sad Blythe, offering a friendly smile. "How's Jasper?", asked Yona, looking toward him. Blythe simply pointed and the duo watched as the incubus slowly came to. He remained bound until they could be sure it was him. Veda approached slowly with hopeful eyes. She gently stroked his face and waited for a response. Jasper lifted his head. With a soft smile, he said, "Hi, Mom". That was all she needed to hear. Veda wrapped her arms tightly around her son and Puck released the restraints. Unused to being in a body, Jasper toppled to one side, but his brother was there to catch him. "Welcome home", grinned Kavi. Within moments, Puck joined in and the family stood as one, glad to be back together. Nearby, Yona realized she was being stared at and turned to see Blythe's goofy grin awaiting her. She had her own smile, which she quickly put away. Playfully pushing his face away, she said, "Say anything and I'll kill you." He laughed as he fell over. It was god to see she remained unchanged by the experience.

Yona got her feet and quickly lost her balance, saved only by Blythe's quick reflexes. "Are you okay?", he inquired with worry. Puck was watching her. "Don't worry. It's just a side effect of being away from your body. It'll wear off", he assured. Yona nodded, annoyed at her weakness. Puck turned in surprise as Jasper grabbed ahold of his arm. "Dad, the black heart...", he said weakly. He'd been 'in pieces' much longer than Yona. She could imagine the strain. "Rest now. We'll take care of it", said Puck. "No", said Jasper, shaking his head. "Do it now...I don't want any traces of her left in me", he said through labored breaths. Puck glanced to his wife in question. Veda nodded. It had to be done. Blythe helped Yona get closer as Puck set to his task. A few swift tugs in the right places freed Jasper from his tunic. It slid to the ground with a heavy "thump". Yona grinned to herself. That sly bastard had weighted clothes...Just how strong was he?

She watched in fascinated horror as the 'black heart' was revealed. It was no code name. That's simply what it was. A small black mass pulsed beside Jasper's own heart, just below the skin. Dark lines twisted in various directions where it had taken hold. Puck hesitated. "Do it...Please", pleaded his son. His heart was breaking. He had no choice. A nod to Veda and Kavi got them into position. They each took an arm and held on tight. "Blythe, get ready", ordered Kavi. He nodded and helped his team mate into a sitting position before standing by. Puck raised two fingers, a spark beginning to glow at the tips. A swift puncture and blood began to pour. Jasper winced and twisted with pain, but his kin held tightly. Yona stared in awe as a small, unknown creature was pulled from Jasper's flesh. It was pitch black as if light simply vanished around it, whatever it was. Long tendrils of darkness were pulled from Jasper's skin. Once it was free, Blythe placed his hand over the wound and concentrated. Jasper remained conscious just long enough to see the horrid thing squashed before succumbing to the pain and fatigue.

Veda held her son in her coils and tenderly stroked his face as he rested. Yona stared at Puck's hands as the last of the blackness evaporated. "What was that thing?", she asked, mildly disgusted. "A curse of sorts", replied the elf. "Is he gonna be okay?", inquired Yona, trying not to appear worried. Puck glanced at his sleeping son and nodded. "He'll likely sleep for a few days while he recovers. He was separated from his flesh a long while. It will take time for the natural bonds to regenerate", he explained. Turning, he said, "I'm a little surprised you're holding up so well yourself." He only got half way through that statement before Yona blacked out, too.

-

When Yona woke up, she was not in her room. It looked like...Veda's? Slowly stirring, she found her loving exceeds curled beside her, one sleeping on each side of her body. Jasper wasn't far. Veda's bed was fairly large. It had to be to accommodate her anatomy. "Good evening", said a familiar voice. Yona struggled to focus her vision. A pair of glasses and a kind smile drifted out from behind a book. "Kavi? How long was I out?", she asked, yawning with a stretch. "A few hours. It's not surprising", replied Kavi. Yona shifted her gaze around the room, unsure of what she was supposed to be doing. Her name called her back to her team mate. She looked at him skeptically. "Is this the part where you get after me for traumatizing your brother?", she teased. Surprisingly, a faint laugh met her question. Kavi set his book aside and pulled his chair closer. "No...I know I'm hard on you most of the time, but you did something amazing today. You gave me back my brother...Thank you", he said, catching her off guard with a hug. Her words settling in, he pulled back and gave a stern look. "You didn't do anything traumatizing to him already, did you?", he inquired. "Nah. I'll let him get his land legs back first...Then I'll traumatize him", she replied with a playful smile.

"Kavi-kun, get some sleep. We'll let you know when Jasper wakes up", said Blythe, peering in from the door. "Blondie's right. Got get some rest", said Yona, glad to be able to tell Kavi what to do for once. Giving in, he nodded and made his way back to his room. "Are you feeling all right?", asked Blythe. Yona glanced at her sleeping companions and the exhausted incubus. "Yeah, I'm fine." She carefully got to her feet, glad to have her balance back. She handed Rani off to her team mate and took Ronen into her own arms to leave Jasper to his rest. She glanced back on last time as she left the room. A light smile crossed her lips. What would his return mean to the guild?

-

A few days later, Yona made her way down into Veda's sanctum. She hadn't seen Kavi lately and, while not surprised, she was curious to see how the newest addition to the guild was doing. She paused outside of the door and listened. A grim conversation was finishing up inside. "All of them?", asked Jasper, still reeling. "I'm afraid so...I saw to their funerals myself", replied Kavi solemnly. A few minutes passed in silence. "That must of been really hard on you...I'm sorry I wasn't here", said Jasper. "Don't be. If I'd have been able to help you all those years ago...", trailed Kavi. "The past is over. Time to look forward to the future, right?", ventured Jasper. "I suppose you're right. I'll leave you to your thoughts...Just focus on getting better. Everyone will be there to meet you when you're ready", said Kavi. He didn't bother stopping when he passed Yona. He clearly saw her, but said nothing. That made her a little uneasy. Had they been talking about her? What had they said?! A hand on her shoulder made her practically jump from her skin. "Are you going in?", asked Veda, a wide smile on her face. Yona caught her breath with her hand on her chest. "Didn't mean to startle you", laughed Veda. "Here. Take this with you", she said, pressing a plate of food into Yona's hands. Yona nodded as Veda gave one more grin before departing.

Yona opened the door without knocking, a bad habit. She stared despite herself as Jasper slowly pulled a shirt over the two long scars on his back. "Sorry", said Yona lamely. "It's all right. Come in", said Jasper, tying up his lengthy hair. "Your mom made lunch", she said, setting the plate beside him. She took a seat and idly glanced around the room. After several moments of awkward silence, Jasper ventured, "You saw them...Don't worry. Those scars are from a long time ago." Picking at her nails, she asked, "What happened?". As Jasper sat with his shirt undone, poking at his meal, it was obvious from his lack of panic that he was still extremely exhausted and likely in a lot of pain. Lowering the food back onto the plate, he said, "I lied." She sent him a confused look. "When you asked what else was different about an incubus...I lied...We're born with wings", he said sadly, inadvertently tugging at his shirt. "The witches?", inquired Yona, reading the look on his face. He nodded. "The couldn't risk me getting away, so they took precautions", he replied, slowly resuming his meal. A million things ran through Yona's mind, but the only thing that came out from her mouth was, "Ouch."

She tried to think of something else to talk about, to lighten the mood, but nothing came to mind. Eventually, her eyes settled on his old clothing. He said it was a uniform from the Nightmare Regiment, but was there more to it? "So, you always wear weighted stuff?", she asked, poking at the clothing. Jasper grinned faintly. "It served its purpose in those days. By now, Yona had taken the entire outfit into her lap and was inspecting it closely. She found a strange pocket in part of the back. "What's this for?", she asked bluntly as she held up the over skirt. Apparently Jasper was starting to feel better. He was blushing again. "Well...", he trailed. Yona could have sworn she saw something move beside him. Nah, maybe her eyes were just playing tricks on her. "The uniform was designed to minimize our monstrous appearance so the humans would feel more confident around us", sighed Jasper. Yona was looking over the make shift stitching on the back of the shirt. There were clearly wing slits at one time. "Veda must have closed them up", she thought. "Okay, what is that?", she spurted, pointing to the sheets. "I swear I saw it move!", she added, making sure he knew she wasn't crazy. Like a cat on the hunt, she zeroed in on whatever it was and pounced. Outside, Veda ignored the loud crash from within her chamber as she made her next chess move against Blythe.

Back inside, Yona stared at her hands. "What the - ?!", she began. Finally, Jasper said, "That kind of hurts..." Realizing it was attached, she let go. Jasper's lithe tail pulled itself closer to his body to avoid further damage. Yona sat back in shock. "It's a tail pocket", she laughed, putting it all together. She could see now why Aldegund had called his people demonspawn. A long tail with a forked end was gently being nursed in the incubus's hands. "Why don't you leave it out?", she asked. He blushed again. She clearly didn't understand how people reacted to him in the past. Eventually, he uttered, "The ears, teeth, and gray skin are usually enough to scare most folks sufficiently." "Oh", she said. She may be a dragon slayer, but she was still human. No one knew anything else by merely looking at her.

Trying to restart the conversation, she asked, "How long do you think you'll be stuck down here? The guild really wants to meet you." He shook his head, unsure of an answer. Despite her presence, he'd managed to get his food down and was now hiding his tail again back under the sheets. With a deep breath, he was ready to face her...At least he thought. He he turned to see her, she was freakishly close, prompting another red reaction across his face. It looked like she was sniffing him..but why? "Yeah, I can smell magic on you now that we're in our skin again", she said, as if replying to his unasked question. He was running out of room to back away into. She had his back to the head board of the bed. "Wh-why are you looking at me like that?!", he asked through panicked breaths. "Isn't it obvious?", she asked, a calm expression over her face. Jasper quickly shook his head. What was with this girl? "Now I know what you smell like, so there's only one question left to answer", she stated. "Th-there is?", he uttered, shying his gaze. "Yup!", she beamed. Slowly looking her in the eye, he ventured, "And that is?..." She let out a brief laugh. "Duh! What's an incubus taste like?". He couldn't turn any brighter red if he tried and she dove in for the kill move.

-

Back outside, Blythe peered passed Veda toward the newest loud crash from Jasper's location in question. "Should we do something?", he asked nervously. "I wouldn't worry. Sound like they're getting along fine to me", beamed Veda, seemingly oblivious to what was happening. Truth be told, she knew what Yona would do and she was letting it happen. After all, if Jasper was to rejoin team one, he'd have to get used to her eventually.

-

Jasper laid breathless beneath his attacker. Yona stared with wide eyes and she pulled away from his lips. "Whoa...", she uttered. Realizing she was blushing, too, she quickly scrambled to her feet. Avoiding eye contact, she spoke very fast. "Well, that answers that question. Feel better soon. I'll catch you later. Bye!" As she hurried from the room, she took her time to catch her breath once the door had closed. She touched her lips without thought. What was that just now? Shaking the feeling, she hied passed Veda and Blythe. Noting the pink hue on Yona's face, Veda simply smiled to herself. "I supposed I should have warned her that incubus are mildly intoxicating to humans", she chuckled. Putting it together, Blythe did a double take between Veda and Yona's shrinking form. "You mean - ?", he began. "Ah, to be young again", sighed Veda, not saying anything else about it.

Only time will tell where these roads will take our mages. 3

-

The End


End file.
